Simple Kind Of Life
by xXBeckyFoo
Summary: The story goes that they lived happily ever after, right? Well, it's been fifteen years since the Marriage Law passed and Draco and Hermione were forced to marry; finding love along the way. Now, someone has began to tear the peace of the once arch-enemies apart and began to destroy what they thought was meant forever. Will they fight to keep it together or this time let it slip?
1. Of Rainbows and Promises

**Simple Kind of Life: The Sequel to 'Bathwater'.**

* * *

With growing intensity, one that was so luminous and brilliant on its own, rays of sunlight rose in from the heavens and sent its warming gleams to penetrate everything in sight; including the open windows of the houses before it.

And in through a certain window, one with a thick emerald curtain hanging loosely by the window-frame, the sunlight crept in with ease. It found its way into the small gape the emerald curtains made and into the master-bedroom of the muggle home. It slithered in and flew up an inch, rising up towards the sliver sheets of the grand bed; stopping for a few seconds as an unconscious body laid on the floor caught its attention instead. But deciding against it, it continued flying up the sheets without giving the body a second thought.

And there in a tangled mess of those silvery sheets and claiming territory of the entire bed, the sunrays laid perfectly neutral on the face of a different body coming to life.

Bright and wide brown eyes blinked abruptly; waking up as soon as a small glint of light invaded their sleep.

"_Aperio._" With a groan and a hand rubbing those eyes, the emerald curtains of the grand room burst open to the sides of the windowsill; illuminating everything inside of it with great pleasure as the rays hurried their way past each other.

Feeling the warm wash of the sun on their skin, the brown eyes fluttered for a few seconds and then directed themselves to the body on the floor. Annoyance grew fast behind those orbs. "Wake up, you git," the woman said, a frown taking over her face. "Wake up!" she repeated a little louder.

And if almost on cue, the body on the floor sprung upward into a seating position. Stormy eyes opened wide with fear, worry, and irritation. "What — What's going on?" It croaked, a wand was whipped out from the pillow beneath the body's head and it was being pointed at every direction in the master bedroom.

"It's time to get up," the woman said, her face still in a scowl.

Throwing one look of deeper irritation after the lack of threat became obvious, the face that belonged to those gray eyes frowned and proceeded to close its eyelids once more; landing back on the tousled sheets on the dark carpet with a light thud.

"Honestly," the woman sighed, her brown eyes flicking towards the alarm clock laying on the nightstand on her right. With the same wand that allowed the rays of the sun to witness the little interaction, even allowing a glimpse of it to the gossiping skies and nosy clouds, the woman pointed it to the muggle-contraption inside her room.

_ Ding! Ding! Ding!_

And once again the body on the floor flew up; this time on its feet with the scowl even more pronounced on his pale, pointed face. "Alright! Alright!" He growled, rubbing his grey eyes as the mocking sunlight pierced his vision. "...Bloody menace."

Hearing those mumbles underneath his breath, the woman smirked at the blonde man with self-satisfying satisfaction. "Oh, darling, you're up. Did I wake you?" Sarcasm dripped and the sunrays rose higher in applause; drenching themselves more through the gap in the window. "I'm so sorry, you looked so comfortable on the rough floor. Please, forgive me."

"You're a ruddy evil witch, you know that?"

"Perfectly, Malfoy," the woman smirked even more, gracing her bright eyes with a smug tint. "I mean, it comes in handy after fifteen years of mindless torture at your side."

The blonde wizard frowned, folding his arms across his pale, naked chest. "Is that so, _Malfoy_? Because, believe me, it hasn't been all chocolate frogs and rainbows for me."

The brunette grinned. "Well, the job description never came with rainbows and promises, Draco. You certainly know that, right? Especially with the miserable fate you gave me."

Frowning roughly with his nostrils flaring in his thick fury, Draco Malfoy walked his way towards the grand bed, lowering his fists onto the silver-sheet covered mattress. He leaned forward and glared at the woman on his bed, "don't think that I've been having the time of my life either, Granger."

"Granger?" The witch scoffed, unmoved by Malfoy's piercing gray eyes. "Stupid comeback, you ferret."

"Gone back to old nicknames, eh, Bookworm?" The man hissed, leaning more towards the middle of the bed.

"Dunno," the brunette replied indifferently, "are you going to stop coming home late at night, drunk off your ass?"

"Are you going to stop tossing me to the floor every time I do?"

"Will you stop being a complete idiot when I'm trying to sober you up?"

Groaning, the blonde man dropped himself on the mattress. He started mumbling a few curse words as a pain ached at the sides of his head, the reminder of the after effects of drinking for six hours at a shady pub in Knockturn Alley coming back to the surface. "I hope Zabini got a worse punishment than I did," he grunted as he turned over on his back, silver eyes looking up at his wife as she rolled her dark ones in annoyance.

"You just slept on the floor, Draco," the woman responded, turning her body around and laying herself on the bed; their heads touching at the corners of their foreheads as they looked at opposite ends of their bedroom. "Give thanks to Merlin that I'm a kind person and didn't make you sleep in the garden and turn on the sprinklers late a night and watched you beg to open the door when you were trapped from apparating inside because of the nosy neighbors gawking at your shame."

"You aimed a hex at me, Hermione, when I tried crawling into bed," Draco reminded her, feeling the slight sensations of electric shocks running inside his system still. "_Remember_?"

Hermione laughed, sighing with the memory of her husband's shocked face as she aimed the Stupefy spell at him. "Highlight of the day, if I may say."

Muffling another crude, colorful word, Draco grunted. "...Do you really think you're living a miserable life with me, Hermione?"

Her ears perked up to the hesitant whisper the man gave to her, rolling her eyes as she heard some attempting-to-be silent footsteps outside of their room. "Have I not given you a life full of chocolate frogs, rainbows, and even pumpkin pasties?" She turned around so her light-toned face was an inch from his, her eyes meeting his chin and her chin meeting his forehead. "Hmm?"

"It...has been a sweet life," Draco said with a blank expression, reaching up to place his hands around her neck. (Softly, of course. The years where he wished he could choke her with his bare hands seemed like ages ago. He would only handle her aggressively when she would ask, or when they were in a very commanding situation. But even then, nose off, Draco Malfoy handles his woman as he pleases.)

"How sweet?"

Grinning as he felt a shudder of delight crawl on the exterior of his skin by her tone, Malfoy traced his hands down from her neck and towards her shoulders; gripping her with a quick wink of his left eye and then flipping her over. Carefully maneuvering her so she could do a skilled front flip with a bit of a twist, she landed on him with a giggled 'uff' and a slap to his face for such act. (Now, who ever said Draco Malfoy was not skilled in his bed? He knew more tricks than Dumbledore and his Elder Wand.)

"Idiot—" Hermione's complaint was silenced when a pair of lips came pressing down on hers. A pair of soft, warm hands finding their way down to her waist, rubbing thumbs across the silky material of her nightgown; giving her sides a squeeze as she pressed herself into her husband. Forgetting her anger of his previous drunken night and the stunt that could have broken her back, Hermione snaked her fingers into his platinum blonde hair. She tugged at the edges like it was the very first time; as if fifteen years had not gone by since the Marriage Law was passed and she was doomed to tie her life with the greatest bouncing ferret the Wizarding World had ever seen.

She kissed him with as much force, as much passion as the first time she pressed her lips to his, except this time she wasn't blaming it on Nargles. It was a kiss that has been sending her soaring through her personal heavens for fifteen years. An action that always led to the most caressing of touches, to the most careful of clutches, to the most blissful waves of pleasure. The most wanton of kisses among husband and wife; the most lustful of kisses between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

_Crack._

"—Well, well, when did you get a tattoo?"

Freezing their hungry lips and fast-moving hands, Draco and Hermione Malfoy moved their contrasting eyes to the sudden words that filled the room; interrupting the grunts and silent incoherent words from the married couple.

"Does Scorpius know you have his name tattooed on your lower back, 'Mione?" Sneering like a true snake—even though he couldn't be considered one for almost two decades—a man with emerald eyes and beautifully dark skin batted his eyelashes mockingly at the pair tangled into each other. "On your lower, _lower _back?"

Grunting as she pulled the black nightgown, that Draco had bought her for a special occasion, down to cover her exposed skin, Hermione pushed her husband off of her settling body. "This is right about the time it stops being so sweet, Malfoy."

"I gave you the option of moving far away, remember?" The blonde wizard retorted, ripping the tangled silver sheets from the end of the bed and towards his body to cover up his perkiness. "There was nothing wrong with Greece or Alaska, but you chose to stay close to the 'family'."

"Now, now," the interrupter clucked his tongue, shaking his dark hair at the bickering going around. "Before either of you can get into a debate of how much you love and can't live without me, I must say that's not the worst I caught you in, remember?"

"What do you want, Zabini?" Hermione asked too rudely, trying not blush at the memory of the man's wide eyes and his screaming of seeing a certain part of Draco's body that he hadn't seen since Theodore Nott and Marcus Flint tossed them into the Black Lake in nothing but their family jewels a long time ago.

Blaise shrugged, his green eyes looking at the floor as he scoffed his shoe on the rug beneath his feet. "…I just wanted to see if Drake could come out and play."

The brunette woman furrowed her brows, turning slightly to the blonde wizard sitting next to her for any input. It didn't come. She turned back to Blaise with an annoyed frown. "Why are you here?"

"Cho threw me out." He shrugged, still looking slightly dramatic with his feigned innocence. "I went to ask if Potter could come out, but Ginny said he was not to come out of the house but only for work and later on today to the train station. He's grounded."

"Did you try Weasley?" Draco asked, feeling slightly better about the whole incident with his wife earlier today. (Who would have guessed? Hermione Granger a good witch? Ha!) "Pansy usually lets the git slide by with anything."

Blaise huffed silently to himself in despair. "She sent him to mother's," he informed as he looked up at the couple through his eyelashes. "Mrs. Weasley said I could stay too, but I'd have to help Ron de-gnome the garden, but come on. It's me. I'm not made for hard labor."

Shaking her brown hair, Hermione inhaled deeply to try and get rid of her annoyance. "Alright, Blaise, you can stay—but only for just a little while I get everything ready around the house, understood? After that, I'll drop you off to Cho."

Smiling widely, a clever way to hide the smirk in his eyes as his charming facial expression did all the work, Zabini rushed towards the bed. Jumping onto the small space next to his best mate, he threw an arm around his shoulders. "Oh, we're going to have a blast, Drake. I'm thinking a small round of Quidditch after several Sobering Potions, yes?"

"—Mum!"

"It's not true!" _Bang_. "I didn't do—" Gray eyes that matched Draco's perfectly well stared in the most incredulous manner ever possibly managed as the master bedroom suddenly became silent; and two more people entered the room.

"Mum?"

"Good morning, kids!" Blaise grinned, waving his dark palm at the little figures gaping at him with raised eyebrows and disgusted faces. "Come say hello to your Uncle Blaise!"

"You know, Mum, every time I shuddered at the idea of coming into your bedroom unannounced," Scorpius Malfoy—now a glorious teenage boy—crossed his arms over his chest, "and startling upon something that would scar me for the rest of my days, _this_ is not what I assumed it would be."

"Cho threw him out, Scorpius," Hermione informed, lifting herself off of the mattress and sliding on her slippers onto her feet. "_Again_."

"How is it that she's still with you?" Smirking with a slanted grin, one that has been passed down from generations of Malfoys, a girl with caramel-colored hair handed an infant to Hermione's outstretched arms. "Is it tough love and all that rubbish you adults are always going on about?"

Returning the smirk, Blaise pushed his friend back a few spaces to the side; trying to get as much room in the bed as possible. "More like rough love, my darling Ariana. But you'll understand what I mean when you get much older, love."

"Zabini!" Draco hissed, punching his once fellow Slytherin on the arm.

The dark-skinned man flinched. "Oi! That hurt!"

However, Draco ignored him purposely as he looked up at his daughter. "Ignore him, Ariana, he's still drunk."

"And that makes it better?" Hermione asked bewildered, bouncing a blonde baby girl on her hip.

"I'm godfather, 'Mione, I'm here to assist you in their raising and to guide them in their life," Blaise chuckled, pulling the blankets away from Draco and towards himself.

The brunette woman frowned very unpleasantly. "You're godfather only to Ariana, Blaise. Besides, being godfather means you're here to shower her with gifts and, Merlin forbid, take her in if something happens to Draco and I. But even then, that's stretching it. I'd rather give her to a pack of trolls or giants."

"Don't make it sound terrible, Mum. She has the same intellectual level as they do, so they'll live in perfect harmony—"

_Smack!_

"Oi, what was that for, you ugly beast?!"

Hermione frowned, clutching on to Ariana's skinny arm before she could fully attack her older brother. "Seriously, you two?"

With a huff and a determined look not to show that the hit was actually stinging him, Scorpius decided to leer at his thirteen year-old sister. "I'm just pointing out the truth, Mother. It's not my fault she can't handle the truth."

"And I'm just going to _murder_ him, Mother," the girl repeated in the same tone as her brother had; same mocking, sarcastic tone. "It's not my fault he can't handle that."

"Alright, alright. That's enough," Hermione's voice rose a few degrees in volume that even the two elder Slytherins stopped their bickering of sharing pillows. (Honestly, how many children could be in a room at a time?) "Scorpius, go and make sure you've packed everything in your trunk and that you haven't forgotten anything. Ariana, go take a shower, dear, and please don't send curses at your brother. Kingsley will only allow certain slip-ups before he actually expels you. And, Demetria—" stopping as the barely two year-old baby gurgled and giggled, Hermione sighed at the youngest of her children. "How about some breakfast, Dem?"

With arms crossed in frustration, Ariana said, "how come Dem gets fed?"

Scorpius leered bigger. "Because you're losing your figure, sister of mine."

_ "Mum!"_

Pushing the two fighting teens out of her bedroom in a hurry, Hermione turned to face the two men sitting on her silvery sheets; her baby still attached onto her hip. "You better make yourselves useful, you prats."

The two men raised their brows at her in question.

"Draco, fix the bed and clean the room," Hermione snapped. "And, Blaise...Just sit there and I'll take you to Cho as soon as possible."

Laughing as the blonde man stood from the bed quickly from the order his wife gave, Blaise outstretched his legs on the mattress; looking quite smug as his best friend glowered at him as he made himself comfortable. "Well, you heard your wife, mate. Clean the room, _chop, chop_."

Oh, yes. This was the sweet life.


	2. Inside the Walls of Hogwarts

**Chapter Two—**

"All Seventh Years with free periods are to remain outside the grounds and away from the classrooms."

Inside a giant ancient castle, one that has been around longer than the Seven Wonders of the muggle world, the sharp voice of a woman bounced off its marbled walls of the main corridor to instruct the set of students. Her pointed black hat so characteristically slanted on her gray hair and half-moon spectacles on the tip of her nose as she read the terms off a scroll of parchment, Minerva McGonagall was the epitome of the woman in charge.

"Sixth Years, it is recommended that you take an extra lesson for those who failed to pass certain O.W.L's."

And there, turning the corner from one of the many halls that spread out and led into the main corridor of the castle, a tall, blonde student marched his way in. Every step carefully graceful by talent and natural instinct. It looked as simple as the air that circled the spaces all around, but it was so extraordinary that if one were to be without it they would choke.

He walked with a hint of a strut, a smirk on his face like if he'd been born with it and a smug gaze burning in his silver eyes. His robes were open wide, exposing his white button-up shirt and emerald tie hanging loosely down his neck; a look so messy that could be considered a lack of manners, but on that particular student it just appeared to be an own unique style. His ragged blonde hair, slightly wavy in some places, was tousled around his head. It almost touched his eyes in that disheveled manner most boys try to achieve, looking luminous as the sunlight highlighted every blonde strand.

"…Hi," as soft as a whisper, a witch passing through murmured shyly to the glorious boy with a pink blush on her face.

"Mister Malfoy**—**" Smirking even more as he aimed one of his genetic grins at the girl, the sharp voice commanding everyone around called his attention; interrupting the moment shared between that hyperventilating witch and the blonde student. "Attending lessons today, I assume?"

"Of course, Headmistress," Scorpius Malfoy replied, throwing his black-leather schoolbag over his shoulder casually, the same grin on his pale face as the old woman narrowed her eyes at him. "First day of term, can't explain how excited I am."

With a slight raise of her barely-there eyebrow, Minerva McGonagall kept her patience controlled and cool. "With brains like yours, Mister Malfoy, I don't doubt that is true. But then again, both your parents had a fancy for rule-breaking as well."

"I make my mummy proud," Scorpius said, his composed exterior still as strong as always. "And as for the rule-breaking, Headmistress, I am offended you think of me as a brat. I assure you I earn my house points."

"Attend your lessons, Scorpius," Professor McGonagall replied with a sigh, wondering how Hermione Granger's child came out with a knack of haughty disobedience. "I will not tolerate any misbehavior from your part this year, understood?"

Saluting the elder witch, Scorpius said, "yes, ma'am," and then proceeded to spread his grin back to his original smirk and continue down his path.

"'I will not tolerate any misbehavior from your part this year'." With a mimicking voice, hushed as a whisper just in case the woman's sensitive cat-hearing decided to kick in, an arm nudged towards Scorpius' right side. "She says that _every _year."

"And yet she doesn't give it up," Scorpius laughed, reaching over to the slightly shorter, dark-haired boy; ruffling his naturally disordered hair. "Ready for a new year, Al?"

"Hogsmeade this term, mate, how can I not be looking forward to this year?" Albus Potter spoke with feigned enthusiasm. "Because, come on, going to a bloody village should make this year better than my previous ones. I'm practically peeing my trousers with excitement."

Scorpius smirked tauntingly.

"**—**That's the spirit, Potter." Arriving on the blonde boy's left side, another dark-haired student appeared. This one looked quite filled with the same swagger as Scorpius had, but with a hint of difference that set the two apart. His aloof tone was filled with a bit of accent, an extra _umph _to his already alluring essence. "Embrace the change; breathe the freedom. Pluck up the courage and finally ask that witch you've been sighing about all damn summer out, and snog her passionately in the Three Broomsticks!"

Waving his arms in the air, his emerald eyes opening wide at the newly-arrived bloke's comment, Al was oblivious as Scorpius noticed his attempts of signals to silence the other boy.

"What girl? You like someone, little Al?"

"_No_," Al snorted, his walking increasing in pace. "Zabini's off his rocker, like always." He stopped for a millisecond, aiming a punch at the boy behind Scorpius's back.

Angelo Zabini frowned, but mouthed a 'sorry' to the boy.

"—Good morning, lads. Glad to see all three of you are up and ruining my day so early." And as the good-looking trio of boys turned the corner, they were met with a curvy redhead joining their strut down another corridor inside the Hogwarts castle. "Not to worry though, I'm in an excellent mood today." Dominique Weasley, Seventh Year Gryffindor raised her palm at the three, stopping them from their awkward glances and sneaky efforts to walk away from her. "Despite what you did to me yesterday on the train."

"We honestly don't know what you're on about, Dom—"

"I think you do, Angelo," Dominique snapped at Zabini, silencing his sentence before he could get it fully out. "And, once again for the hundredth time, I'm _not _interested. So next time I find Instant Peruvian Powder sparkling in the air and my friend is attacked and I'm left alone in my compartment with an unconscious body, I am murdering all of you."

Al scoffed, finding to be the only one out of the three boys who wasn't threatened by the fiery redhead. "Does Uncle Bill know you snog all of your friends? Because if he did, I seriously think he won't let that bloke over at Shell Cottage anymore."

"You've been warned," Dominique replied, ignoring her cousin's comment. "Pass the message to Louis, Al. If I find that my brother has been providing you idiots with supplies from Uncle George, I will leave my parents without their only son."

Watching with bright eyes as the redhead pushed passed them, heading out of the castle to enjoy her free period, Angelo Zabini said, "she _so _wants me," with a smug chuckle. "I can tell," he added, turning back to his friends.

"You're fourteen, Zabini," Scorpius replied, shaking his head at the interaction and began walking again. "What could a Seventh Year want with a Fourth Year?"

"Dunno," Zabini laughed, "but I do know what a Fourth Year wants with a Seventh Year."

"—Did she take the bait?" Before Al could aim another punch at Zabini, three boys appeared from inside one of the classrooms Malfoy, Potter and Zabini were passing. "I saw her stomping her way towards you blokes, I had to hide inside old McGonagall's classroom."

"You owe me a galleon, Weasley," Scorpius said seriously to a blonde boy across from him. "Your sister is lethal, and I swore she almost hexed us right there and then."

"Price to pay, mate, for your sister being a bit loose," James Potter, proud Gryffindor Fifth Year, said with a leer.

Louis glared. "She's not loose! She's just...dating that—"

"Slytherin?" Scorpius finished Louis Weasley's sentence, watching with a sneer as the rest of the audience chuckled. "Don't feel so ashamed, Weasley. Be thankful that Dominique is breaking all the barriers between house rivalry."

"Then again," Fred Weasley II chirped in from the left side of his cousin James, "she will cause all the rivalry to start again with her constantly switching blokes in every house every other day."

"She's not loose!" Louis hissed once more. He aimed a dirty look at Malfoy, completely filled with venom, and proceeded past the three boys with emerald ties. "_James_!"

"Coming, darling!" The eldest of the Potter brothers called teasingly, motioning Fred with him as they walked towards the fuming blonde. "See you in Divination, Malfoy."

"Try not to get stomped on, cousin," Fred added, grinning at Albus as he followed the footsteps of his best friends/cousins. "Later, mates!"

Al grunted, this time being the one that began the march. (Honestly, how big was this castle? He didn't know whether he was out of shape and about to have a heart attack or his rapid heartbeat was cause of the thickheaded relatives in his family.)

"Bless them. My Third Year is looking promising." Sarcasm poured and the two elder boys snickered behind him as they headed towards their destinations without further interruptions.

**X**

"Twenty points will be taken away from you, you brat."

Looking at the balding man in front of him with bored eyes, Scorpius Malfoy sighed with his eyebrow raised a centimeter off of his glorious forehead. "You do know, Mister Filch, that you're not given the right to deduct points from us, right?"

Narrowing his beady eyes, the caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry breathed in heavily as his blood began to boil. "Look here, you arrogant skrewt, I am the caretaker of this castle and I am given every right to discipline those students who get out of line and think they own this place! Don't think once because the Headmistress has some sort of soft-spot for you that you can get away for your crime!"

With a smile tugging at the right side of his mouth, Scorpius added a soft gleam to his mocking face. "So the Headmistress _does_ like me? Well, I'll be sure to send her a special gift for her preference. Not that there is much to choose from around this place, mind you. Have you taken a good look around? There's Weasleys at every sodding corner; it's like a zoo around here."

"You will be punished!" Filch shouted at the blonde student, not letting his side-tracking comment steer him away from his anger. "Detention in the Forest until you learn—"

"_Evanesco_." With a simple wave of his wand, with that handsome bored expression, Malfoy made the packaging of a chocolate frog disappear from the exit of his Potions classroom; making it swirl and vanish from the floor and their sights "Well, no need to be upset, Mister Filch, it's all gone now. Surely you could've done just that—wave of the wrist, a few words sprinkled with magic, and _tada_! Five minutes of my life that I'm never getting back."

Filch stood silent, his fury burning red in his wrinkled cheeks as the student laughed and patted him on the arm before walking past him and the hissing red-eyed cat standing loyally next to him.

"Not to worry, though. I'll be sure to tell the professor that I can be excused from my tardiness." Oh, he was surely his father's son. No one knew how to swagger like that better than a Malfoy. "Have a good day, Mister Caretaker."

It can already be guessed what your thinking—Scorpius Malfoy is a rude boy and he should be spanked with a beaters bat, right? Well, yes, it's true. (In both parts at that, but, seriously, a beaters bat? That's a bit cruel, no? Any takers to punish the boy by natural hand-use?)

It was in his conventional manner to walk with his chin raised his, his pale, gorgeous face always serious or mocking, those almost-red lips tugged into a sneer, silver eyes shining with cockiness as all other eyes were on him.

It was his natural instinct just to build a facade to repel anyone who could even try to break through his front. He was assumed to be the cruelest boy in school—and he let that follow after him. There was always a sense that he was unreachable, untouchable. (Or as rumors have it, his heart was as cold as his eyes were a liquidized metal.) He would sneer, mock, laugh, scowl, glare, frown, proving all those right. But—_but_—you had to be really high up in his Christmas list to ever get to see the teenager behind the mask. To get to see how caring he was, how protective he could be, and how sometimes that sneer was actually a truthful smile and that it could stretch from his lips to his eyes; making his face glow and eyes sparkle.

And the only ones who could prove that he was actually human are Al Potter and Angelo Zabini, his best friends. And even then, their conformation would be proven a lie because Scorpius allows a glimpse of his warmth. Because no one could ever guess that Draco and Hermione Malfoy's son had a great fear. That there was something that penetrated his head every night before he drifted off to sleep, something that would keep his eyes open for another freezing minute, mocking him. A fragment of a thought that could destroy everything; that could destroy him. It was the thickest of ideas, the most unthinkable of imagination, but that could happen at any given second. That the old chill of told history would surge again and all that he has had for the fifteen past years would disappear from his grasp. That idea that said Scorpius Malfoy would be left in the dark forever, with the chance of never coming back into the light.

"You owe me a sickle, Zabini! _Look_! I win!"

Leaning up against a wall of an empty corridor, Angelo Zabini placed a leer on his dark face as a sandy-haired bloke pointed a finger at a student turning the corner of the corridor— entering a place that was far from where he should have been. Where all of them shouldn't be.

"Lost your way, kid? Three sickles per map to find it again. It's even got the secret passages marked and the spells to conjure them open."

"Why don't you just stop being stingy, Zabini, and pay Finnegan before he wets himself." With that characterized smirk, Scorpius Malfoy rolled his eyes at the Slytherin and Gryffindor he stumbled upon.

"Shouldn't you be in Divination, Malfoy?" Angelo asked with a frown, handing the Gryffindor his sickle of the week after he breathed a 'My mummy gave me this!' and he crossed his arms over his chest.

Malfoy shrugged, looking at Dash Finnegan pocket his earned money. "Should be, but then again Mum's given me her disbelief of that rubbish subject. I rather take life as it comes, even if death is around the corner."

"With your brilliant luck, it's probably in Russia playing Chinese checkers with a muggle boy," Finnegan chuckled to himself.

Choosing to ignore Finnegan, Scorpius asked, "shouldn't you two be in Herbology? Or have I rubbed off terribly on you that I'll be receiving howlers from Aunt Cho and Aunt Lavender about their precious babies failing their Fourth Year?"

"Please," Zabini scoffed, his back pressed even more tightly on the marbled wall. "Mum's going to be ticked off at Dad for a good while before she starts noticing anything else. You know how it is, mate. Dad, Harry, Ron and Draco all gather together a day before our departure to Hogwarts and drink until they black-out and have no idea how they got home." Angelo gave it a second, thinking back to the memory of his father being tossed out to the street again. "Oh, how I love that man."

Finnegan and Malfoy shared a look, both rolling their eyes at the dark-skinned Slytherin.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Appearing undetected by the three boys, a witch came to view; her caramel-colored hair shining by the light the corridor was giving. Highlighting those pieces of blonde in her waves as she crossed her arms over her chest and stepped forward to frown at them. "Perfect, holy, and God-like Scorpius not attending his lesson? On the first day of school? My, won't his daddy and mummy be so disappointed in him."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Ariana," the blonde wizard huffed, returning the frown his sister was throwing at him. "Please refrain yourself from making a fool of yourself. Not that it's important to me or that I care, mind you, but we share the same last name. I beg you, don't bring me more shame for being related to you than what I already get."

"Do not worry, _brother_," Ariana snapped, her arms dropping from her chest and exposing her ruby-red and gold tie as her heart began to thump from the anger of those grey eyes that matched hers. "As far as anyone in Hogwarts knows, Mrs. Malfoy picked me off the corner of Diagon Alley and nursed me back to health when the Hippogriff lost its way and just dropped me off at the first corner it saw. Because, believe me, Mister Malfoy," the girl gave a low bow, increasing her glare as she poked the right nerve of her brother's fury, "there's more shame for me being related to _you_ that I rather be the pathetic girl her parents gave away."

"You're so lovely in the afternoons, Beast," breathing in, trying not to let Ariana get the best of him, Scorpius decided to go back to the territory he knew perfectly well—sarcasm. "Have you already fed among the Thestrals? Next time, though, I suggest you don't go for raw meat, sister. It makes your face all blotchy."

"—Ana, I do believe Care of Magical Creatures is not that far from Herbology." Turning the corner, conjuring a clear bubble around Scorpius' figure to protect him from the fist his sister had made and was extremely ready to aim at his face, a redheaded girl with bright brown eyes stepped forward with her wand raised high; followed by a close companion. "Angelo, Dash, walk the girl to her lesson."

"But—"

"_Now_," the redheaded girl ordered, her friend laughing in the background at the terrified faces of the Slytherin and Gryffindor.

"Move on, move on, Angelo." The girl next to the redhead, with glowing tanned-skin color and emerald eyes, smirked at Zabini. "You better hurry and see what you can get from your Herbology lesson or you'll be receiving a very angry letter from Mum once Neville tells her you didn't care to show up."

Angelo snorted. "And what are you exactly doing, Savanna?" He retorted quickly, grabbing Ariana's arm as her anger didn't dare budge at the arrival of the new girls. "Monitoring the halls for poltergeist?"

"I was actually called to the Headmistress' office, brother. Apparently I've been moved up to a more advance class of Potions, seeing as I'm quite the genius." Savanna smiled, batting her eyelashes teasingly sweet at her older brother. "Mum will be proud, don't you think? I already wrote to Daddy and I expect he'll be sending me loads of wicked stuff that the owl will probably be made to rest for a month."

Feeling a strong mix of pride and annoyance, Zabini settled on rolling his eyes and said, "congratulations, Savanna," a little halfheartedly. And while his sister threw him a great smile, Angelo pulled the Gryffindor witch with him; passing his sister as he flicked her navy-blue tie with his finger. "Come on, Ana, how'd you fancy some fresh air?"

"I'd fancy chopping that idiot into pieces, burning his remains, and flushing him down Moaning Myrtle's toilet with hysterical laughter bouncing off the walls of the lavatory," Ariana hissed, attempting to aim her fist to the clear bubble just for a useless try; letting herself be pulled away by Angelo and Dash in a second. (Curse the sodding flobberworm, he had too much of good luck for her liking. But one day…one day—insert her fist shaking threateningly here. )

"Lovely, isn't she?" Scorpius began as soon as the bubble of protection was lifted from him. "I reckon Mum had a lot of Butterbeer when she was pregnant with her. That could only explain her insanity, but you have to put up with it, don't you?"

Scowling, the redheaded witch walked closer to the blonde; stepping into the candlelight that illuminated the path outside of the dungeons. "You're just a walking body stuffed with bile, eh, Malfoy?"

Narrowing his silvery eyes at the pale face glaring at him, trying to ignore the way the light would highlight her flushed rosy cheeks and fiery strands of wavy hair, and even her bright hazel eyes—a perfect mixture of green and brown**—**Scorpius decided to mock her. "Charming as always. I knew my year wouldn't be complete if Rose Weasley didn't take it upon herself to criticize my every move."

"I wouldn't have the need to, Scorpius, if you stopped parading yourself around the castle like you were just baptized by Merlin," Rose hissed, crossing her arms over her chest as her mother's inherited fury started rising in her insides. (Well, not like Pansy Parkinson was the sweetest witch alive, right? She was cold-hearted and ruthless in years past. Just because she got married and became a Weasley does not mean she won't invade your personal space and beat you silly.) "How about some sensitivity towards Ana? She is your sister after all."

"Not by choice, I assure you, Rosie." Malfoy leered, stretching his pale finger forward; letting it trace the soft skin of the redhead's cheek. "I was about two when my mummy told me about the beast breeding inside of her. I tried countless of times to sell her to a few passing muggles, but not even they wanted her." His mocking grin became more pronounced as Rose looked at his caressing gesture with controlled wide-eyes, trying her hardest not to react to his touch. "And, I don't parade myself, Weasley. The world just seems to give me the attention."

Rose narrowed her brown eyes dangerously at the blonde; annoyance quickly sweeping past her little moment of shock by his touch.

"Not to be jealous, though. I'm sure one day you'll grow into your nose and you'll catch the eye of a few." Flicking her button-like nose, with a false accusation as her ears turned beet red, Malfoy turned to the girl opposite of Rose Weasley. "May I escort you to your lesson, Miss Zabini?"

Staring at Scorpius with a raised eyebrow, trying not to punch his head as he bowed to her, Savanna sighed. "You're a foul git, Malfoy."

Scorpius laughed, lacing his arm with the Third Year Ravenclaw and leaving behind the redheaded Gryffindor. "Oh, she loves it."

Counting five Hippogriffs as she tried so hard to settle her breaths, Rose Weasley let out a high-pitched scream when the Slytherin and the Ravenclaw had turned the corridor.

Scorpius Malfoy was going to be the end of her—and then she'd come back to murder him for the wrecking havoc he causes underneath her skin.

(That bloody idiot.)

* * *

** AN:  
**

**Two things you need to know.**

**1) Every other chapter will be about Hermione/Draco and then of the kids. Get it? **

**2) Do you guys need some sort of listing of who is who? I know I didn't really get into detail of who they were, what house they were sorted in, and what year but I PROMISE I left that for their next chapter. (Trust, there's more kids to come, Lol.)**

**:)  
**


	3. Troubled Muffins

** Chapter Three****—**

"Mmm. It smells fantastic."

"—So fantastic."

In a kitchen filled with warm colors that sprung to life and wrapped around you in a feel of comfort and hospitality, a large group assembled together into a large wooden table; plates of cooked goods in front of them as the ceiling shone with the morning sun. Rays of bright orange and yellow flowed down to the dinning-room table, and even puffy morning clouds graced their way into the picture-perfect scene playing above the heads of the group.

"You outdid yourself."

"—Outdid yourself incredibly."

With a skeptical look upon her face, a brunette woman smiled timidly as she placed a pitcher of Pumpkin Juice on her table, moving the vase brimmed with sunflowers to the side; allowing more room for her guests to settle themselves.

"You have to show me how you make these muffins."

"—Yes, pass the secret, 'Mione. They're delicious."

Taking a second—a tiny fragment of it to look up at the two people talking, Hermione Malfoy had to bite her lip as she tucked herself in the seat right side of where her blonde husband sat. Both of them shared a knowing glance as a clatter of silverware splattered a few inches away from them.

"I'm an idiot."

"I'm a huge idiot—_Oi, wait!_" Stopping himself before he could shove a forkful of eggs into his mouth, Blaise Zabini paused with an incredulous look upon his handsome, dark face to glare at the witch next to him; scowling deeply as chuckles and sighs broke out at his expense. "You're going to start arguing with me so bloody early in the morning, Cho?"

"Why not?" Shrugging with sarcasm, the dark-haired witch, with a parenting-gaze that seemed to have taken residence on her face, lowered her silverware carefully on the sides of her plate to frown at her husband. "You've been annoying me endless for the past fifteen years, what's one morning that I don't let you eat your eggs peacefully?"

"Oh, give it up, Cho," being one of the many who sighed, Pansy Weasley expressed that irritation that was bubbling behind the masks of the others around; being the only one who didn't mind sharing her displeasure of having to hear the Zabini couple bitch every second. (Because, come on, fifteen years was enough for a lifetime.) "It's been two weeks since the drunken-incident, even I'm over it."

"That's because _I _took it hard," Ron Weasley mumbled, staring at his bacon resentfully as his best friends laughed. He felt the anger grow inside of him as he sensed their gazes upon his fading bruise underneath his eye. "She didn't even feed me for days. I had to go beg Angelina to toss me a chicken wing and endure George's teasing about losing my manly-bits to a Slytherin."

Shrugging, Pansy casually said, "well, you should've learned your lesson last year, Ronald." She took a graceful bite of her blue-berry muffin in that nonchalant spirit. "In fact, all of you should have."

Sitting on the opposite side of Hermione, Ginny Potter nodded her head aggressively in agreement with her sister-in-law. "Think about the example you lot are setting for your kids. What do you think they are learning from watching their fathers come home piss drunk?"

"That Weasley is easily bruised, Zabini is still a spineless git, and Potter just nods his head and takes it like a man?" Smirking with that trademark grin that has been defined as part of the Malfoy legacy, Draco Malfoy sat gloriously on the end seat of his table. "Or are you still grounded, Potter?"

"Don't feel so grand, Malfoy, because Hermione is less vicious than what we've got," Harry Potter retorted, scowling as he remembered the tickets to Puddlemere United's Quidditch match that he had to return. (Oh, the embarrassment he felt when he told Oliver Wood exactly why he couldn't go. The shame; the decaying of his manly-bits. He was sure Voldemort was laughing mockingly at him from his imprisonment somewhere in a muggle hell.) "Couldn't even go to a bloody match..."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "What was that, Harry?"

"Nothing," he responded quickly to the redheaded woman on his side, smiling as he drank his pumpkin juice without another mumbled remark. (_The shame_!)

Taking it upon herself to steer the conversation away from the idiotic things their husbands get themselves into, Cho cleared her throat and aimed a question at Hermione. "Any word on how the kids are settling in?"

"Well, Ariana has picked up her habit of writing to us once a week," Hermione began, watching with a brighten grin as her husband's eyes began to glow at the mention of his offspring. "She says everything is going smoothly. Classes are alright and that McGonagall sends her regards to all of us. And as for Scorpius, well, you know how he is. He prefers not to go into detail about anything. Not like I don't expect a letter from a complaining teacher or the Headmistress anytime soon."

Ginny laughed to herself, the irony of Hermione having a trouble-making son so humorous to her. "What does little Ana say about him?"

"That she wants to murder him. 'Murder him well,' as she puts it."

"See, I don't get that, 'Mione," Blaise butted in, raising his fork as the people around him began to roll their eyes. (Well, it seemed like Zabini was the only one who loved to hear his own words.)"You being all peacemaker and such, how is it that your kids ended up hating each other? With Malfoy as father it's pretty much expected, mind you, but it's _you_! Shouldn't they be hugging each other and planning a revolt for house-elf rights?"

Ron snickered, grinning with a mouthful of his breakfast at his best friend. "Or starting a study group that can takeover the entire castle? You know, the dynamic duo and all that rubbish?"

"Sticking their frizzy heads together to improve Hogwarts?" Pansy added, giggling along with her husband.

Draco glared, shooting daggers at the chuckling guests eating his food. "My kids do not have frizzy hair, Pansy."

"It's just a bit of sibling rivalry," Hermione informed with her oh-so-familiar know-it-all tone. "They argue like anyone else—You and Ron did it for years, Gin, remember? And James and Al are constantly at each others throats that you'd assume they've been enemies since the womb."

"Hey now, _I_ was the nice one," Ginny retorted, glaring up from her potatoes. "I never did one sodding bad thing to this git. He was the one always pushing me away with his, 'No, Ginny! Harry's my best friend!' or 'No, Ginny, Harry loves _me_!'" She smirked as Ron frowned and turned red in the ears. "Which is terribly bad-mannered, I let him play tea-party with me all the time when we were kids."

"She was talking about James and Al, you wench!" Ron hissed, debating whether he should chuck a muffin at her. "'Ou bloodee 'itsh!" Crumbs of his delicious muffin rained down his shirt as he pointed an accusing finger. (They really were delicious! How can he throw it at her and risk losing that tasty bake-good as Ginny would transfigure it to a boulder and throw it at his head?)

Smiling peacefully and satisfactory to himself, Blaise said with a smooth voice, "I guess the only sane ones in the lot is our Angelo and Savanna." He peered up with his emerald eyes at his wife; watching with a bit of an internal happy-dance as Cho returned his sweet look. (Menopausal much?) "Salazar knows they get on just fine. In fact, the other day Savanna saved Angelo from a savage group of pixies."

Draco raised his eyebrow, not looking as interested as his best mate expected. "She only saved him because she took his wand and left him helpless and he was crying like you do when you watch muggle films."

"_Lies_!" Blaise shouted, tossing his fork. "And I don't cry during films, I cry during one film! And you can't tell me Titanic does not pull on your heartstrings, you insensitive prat, because it's the only film you constantly watch!"

"—Exquisite cooking, 'Mione."

"—Brilliant as always."

"—Really jealous."

Laughing lightly at the sudden compliments that the three other wives threw at her, Hermione placed a hand over Draco's. Dipping her fingers into the underside of his palm as a means to calm him down; watching as little by little his gray eyes lost their stormy effect. "So, how's work coming along, Harry? Draco tells me that the Aurors are thrilled that you finally took title as Head Auror."

"You should've seen Kingsley, 'Mione. He practically wet himself," Ron commented, sitting himself taller on his chair and began using his napkin with a little smugness in his bright eyes. "Can't blame him, can we? He's got Harry and I calling the shots now. He knows that safety is loads better now that he can settle down, take a vacation, and play with his cats."

Rolling her eyes, secretively of course, Pansy turned to smile proudly at her redheaded husband. "And it shows, Ron, it shows. Haven't felt this safe since Potter killed the Dark Lord off and I found my bedroom rid of Death Eaters taking it us a rest-stop."

"What are you on about, Pans?" Blaise, after much deep inhaling after getting his emotions stomped on, retorted at the dark-haired witch. "_I _killed that spider in your living room two days ago—saved both your asses!" He moved his finger from Mrs. and Mister Weasley. "That was protection right there."

" Erm...It's been brilliant, Hermione," Harry interjected, truly not wanting another feud that could ruin his breakfast. "Most of the cases have been tamed so far, nothing too over the top. Just enough to send one Auror per mishap."

Ron rose an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Harry? Yesterday night—"

_ Bang. _

"—Draco! Aunt Hermione!"

"—Don't yell, you troll."

"Why the bloody hell not?" Footsteps were heard a few yards away from the dinning room, interrupting Ron just in time before both Draco and Harry could aim their knives at him. "Draco, you've got some mail! Took it from the owl trying to peck his way in here! Got that letter I've been trying to hide from Mum for the past—" Stopping right on cue, like if today was good-luck for all those big-mouthed blokes, Teddy Lupin appeared at the entrance of the dinning room; looking startled as his hair started turning an embarrassing shade of pink. "Bullocks."

"And that is why, Teddy Lupin, we don't yell." Appearing right behind him, looking quite smug with a baby in her arms, Victoire Weasley grinned at the adults peering up at her. "Good morning, everyone."

Mrs. Potter raised her eyebrow, clearly not missing her oldest son's previous shouts. "What letter?"

"Did I say letter?" Teddy chuckled hesitantly, looking at his long-term girlfriend for desperate help. Help that never came. "No, what I meant, Mum, was...was erm..."

"Mummy!"

"Yes, yes." Teddy nodded vigorously as he took the dirty-blonde toddler from Victoire's arm, glaring at his girlfriend with red-colored eyes. "What I meant was, Demetria behaved herself brilliantly today." He bounced the girl on his arms, flashing the baby girl a tremendous smile as his mother's eyes began softening in distraction. (Well, obviously you can't count on your girlfriend to save you from instant death, but a baby will save your life with a gurgle and a bubble of spit without even hesitating.) "We took her for her usual early stroll at the park and she only attacked a muggle kid twice this time. That's improvement."

Looking a little curious, Cho asked, "how's that improvement?"

"Because in her defense that boy was rather obnoxious. If I was two years-old, I would've given that kid a go myself," Teddy responded to Cho. " But Merlin bless the baby-world that Hermione and Draco forgot to use a contraception spell and ended up having Demetria to throw sand at all bully-babies she can." He turned back to the little girl and ruffled her hair. "That sandbox is well protected due to her. So I say, all hail our favorite little mistake!"

Victorie reached over and smacked the now blue-haired wizard on the back of his head. "That's a horrible thing to say. Demetria is not a mistake."

"Of course not," Draco said in his sneering voice, squeezing the fingers of his wife as she frowned at his relative. "She was a slip. A very beautiful, life-changing, happiness-enhancing slip."

"Nice save," Hermione turned her frown towards the blonde man. "Well, as long as my daughter had her hour of distraction, I'll let it slip, Teddy, and won't curse you back to your toddler years. Back to when you were still cute and adorable to have around."

Teddy grinned at her, saying, "oh, you love me, Aunt Hermione," as he walked towards her and placed the two year-old into her open arms. "And, besides, I love spending time with my little Demi. It gives me practice for future years, you know?"

At his comment two loud snorts filled the air. Ginny and Victoire looking at the bloke as if he had just said he saw The Dark Lord rise from the dead wearing a tutu and dancing his way down the street singing a cheerful tune.

"Anyway," Teddy coughed, looking away from the women he feared, "you've got a letter from the Ministry, Draco. There's a meeting that you lot are supposed to be in twenty minutes."

"What meeting?" Malfoy asked, ripping the envelope from the boy's hands. "Did you know about this, Potter?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, thinking back. "Kingsley mentioned something about a meeting, but he never said exactly when it was to be held. He said he would have one of the trainees send out memos a week before, though."

"Then why are they barely coming in now?" Draco retorted, waving the small, squared parchment at the Boy-Who-Lived.

Teddy raised a finger in the air, swallowing a chunk of muffin he had stolen from his mother's plate. "I may have...sort of, none intentionally, forgotten to send them three days ago...Sorry, Dad."

"Oh, for Dumbledore's gray-white beard," Ron scoffed, tossing his fork and standing up from the chair. "We better go now before the Minister makes an example out of me for coming in late. Again."

"Said I was sorry, Ron!" Teddy called, shrugging at his mother hopelessly as her brother grunted at him. "Well, what? I forgot. My bad! Victorie came in to bring me lunch that day and she was wearing the shortest—"

"Finish that sentence, boy, I dare you," Ginny hissed, interrupting her son as his eyes widened.

"Alright, we're off," Harry stood from his chair, his stomach grumbling as he never even got to move on to the waffles his best friend had cooked up. "Come along, Ted. I'm going to have to find you some other tasks to do when you aren't training because, clearly, sending post does not meet your focus-level."

"And no more visits from you, either, Victorie," Ron added, frowning at his niece. "Or I'll be sending Bill a memo about your little conjugal visits to the Ministry of Magic."

Victorie looked offended, her hands raised in a what-the-hell-I-didn't-do-anything way.

"I'll be home soon, Hermione," Draco whispered, leaning towards his wife and daughter as the teen veela argued with her uncle and the redheaded Mrs. Potter scolded her adoptive-son. "And by the time that I come back, promise me one thing?"

"Anything," the brunette smiled, her head filling with rushing affection as Demetria moved her little palm to Draco's face, patting his cheek as she giggled on her lap. She watched as Draco gripped her tiny arm and placed her palm onto his mouth, pressing little kisses onto her knuckles and turning them to fake-bites that made their daughter giggle even more.

Draco moved his neck a little to the side, giving him access so he could pass the tiny figure of his daughter so he could meet his wife. He looked into her bright, brown eyes for a quick second; one that could have even lasted a lifetime. It was a gaze burning with adoration, with intense love, and then, just to renew the deal that had been made fifteen years ago, Draco kissed his wife.

He pressed his lips in a strong peck—holding his lips there as he waited for the brunette to smile onto his. And once she had, he let her continue it on. He felt his blood run warmly, like it always did, and enjoyed the twists and turns that Hermione gave to his mouth. Filling him up to the brim of over-fill with complete bliss.

"Promise me we'll have a normal, quiet, family dinner," he said after Demetria's hands slapped them both on one cheek of their faces; signaling that they needed to remove each other before they tangled themselves and the poor kid lost even more space to breathe.

"—Where are you going, Blaise?" Cho's voice rang loudly, distracting Mrs. Malfoy for a split second. "You don't belong at the Ministry."

"But..." Blaise let his hands slip down from the collar of his shirt, forgetting that he was trying to fix it hurriedly before he apparated away with the Weasel, the Chosen One, and the Bouncing Ferret. "But I want to go."

"You can't, Blaise," Cho sighed, rubbing her temples as if she'd been explaining something to a child for the hundredth time.

"_But I want to go_!" Blaise whined.

"Blaise, you don't work at the Ministry, darling." She looked at him, clutching onto her sanity as her husband pouted. "Besides, even if you're thinking about crashing the Auror meeting, you honestly can't. You have a business meeting of your own at Zabini Corporations."

Her husbanded pouted again. "But I want to be a part of the action, Cho!"

"You're the ruddy owner of the corporation, Blaise. You have to go!" Pansy helped the former Ravenclaw, after removing her lips from a kiss-goodbye with her husband, of course.

"Please, tell me you didn't," Draco turned to Hermione, both of them looking away from another clever, childish scene his best mate caused.

Hermione patted her husband's cheek gently, looking a little too calm. "Savanna and Ariana's birthdays are coming up and Cho wanted to discuss mutual ideas for a party for the girls," Hermione began. "You know that Ana never wants any kind of celebration, but perhaps if it's conjoined with Savanna's then she'll agree to it."

But not looking too damn convinced, Draco kept a frown on his pale face. "Fine," he hissed, resigning to ever getting some sense of silence in his own bloody home. "Invite them to dinner—but, I warn you, if Zabini starts blubbering over his daughter growing up so fast, like the time you helped Chang plan Savanna's fourth birthday party, I will curse them back to their home and we are moving to Alaska."

Hermione scoffed, but continued her comment with a sigh. "See you for dinner, then?"

"You've ruined me," Malfoy replied with a scowl, pressing his lips lightly over Demetria's forehead. "Potter, Weasley, Ted, come on. We'll barely have enough time to get a good seat."

And grabbing the hem of her husband's blazer before he could follow pursuit of the walking men, Cho ordered in an irritated tone, "Blaise, sit."

Loud stomps on the Malfoys' dinning room was heard over distinct _cracks_.

** X**

"So, this is it, men," Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep monotone voice vibrated off from the large crystal-glass table in the middle of the room. A room that was completely made out of glass all around; making it appear as if they were trapped in the middle of an ice cube, the air quite freezing and the cold seriousness of the men invading all around. "In summary to this meeting, we will begin the monthly reports with other Ministers around the globe."

"—Take into consideration, though," Harry Potter, in all of his Head Auror splendor, rose from his chair to direct his words at the group of men looking towards him; giving him their undivided attention, "that the more information and ties we can make with them and their own Auror Departments, we can enhance the opportunities for some of our cases to close. We need some of their information to capture certain wizards or witches that are on the loose here and that is vital for their arrest."

Kingsley called for the attention of a sandy-haired man. "Johnson, you specifically need to formalize a comradeship with the Head Auror in Ireland. He is the only one that can pass you information on the Marie Fitzpatrick case. He has uncanny information on the woman's history that can give you more insight to how she operates and how to track her patterns based on her psychological past."

Crossing his arms over his chest and adopting that very important-looking feel, Auror Potter said, "it's a done deal, Johnson, if you get that Auror to blabber. He was married to the witch, after all."

Draco sneered, leaning against his leather chair and crossing his arms over his chest as well. The muscle in his arms popping against the rolled up sleeves of his pale-blue button-up shirt. "It's as good as ours, then. There's nothing like a bitterly, terrified ex-husband to bring down his lunatic, torturing, men-murdering wife."

Ron chuckled, snorting as he sipped on his goblet of water. "Do it now, mate," he smirked at Johnson. "He is probably shaking in his knickers thinking that Fitzpatrick is on her way to get him after she is tired of the bloodshed she's leaving for us to clean up here. The bloke is the Head Auror, but honestly, what's not to fancy about having one of _Harry Potter's_ Aurors protect his skin—even if it is you."

"Then, it's going to be as easy as a Popsicle on a hot summer day, right, Mister Second-in-Command? "Johnson replied, rolling his eyes in his sarcasm as he turned back to the Minister and Potter. "You got it, boss. I'm on it."

"Alright, you all know your targets. All you have to do is use your charm to warm their hearts, and do your Auror magic," Kingsley rose from his chair, clapping his hands together. "Meeting adjourned, men."

And just as the others were rising up from their chairs and heading out of the office, Johnson aimed a leer at Ron. "Good luck with the Prime Minister, Weasley." His leer grew as Auror Weasley began to glare. "Make sure not to scare off the poor muggle man, again. We had to persuade him to let his request of having someone else talk to him about our connected affairs go."

"It was one bloody dragon!" Ron snapped, banging his goblet back on the glass table. "He needs to get over it and stop pretending like that heart-attack was major! I got him to the damn hospital quick enough, didn't I?"

"Ron," Kingsley called, his voice deeper than before as he stopped the redhead from bolting out the door and smashing Johnson's head against the glass wall. "Sit, will you? I've got some things to discuss with you, Malfoy and Harry."

Ron scowled. "About?"

"—Yeah, about?"

The Minister narrowed his eyes at the blue-haired trainee lingering behind. "Out, _now_. This is between Aurors and the Minister. Don't you have mail to send out?"

Teddy shrugged casually. "Dad's removed me from my post."

"Be my secretary for a few minutes, will you, Ted?" Harry sighed, his expression looking resigned at his son. "Hold my calls, stack my mail, and feed the owl."

"But, Dad—" Harry's emerald eyes hardened behind his glasses and Teddy groaned. "Fine, fine. I'll feed your bloody owl."

"Now I truly believe he's related to you, Malfoy." The Savior of the Wizarding World rubbed his temples, that headache coming back to surface.

Draco grinned, still seated in his chair looking quite on top of the world. "What can I say, Potter? We are charming people." His eyes met Teddy's grey ones outside of the glass window; both of them smirking at each other as Teddy dropped himself on the secretary desk outside of Auror Potter's office.

"So, what's up, Kingsley?" Ron asked again, diverging the conversation and sure reminiscing that would come up about Sirius Black and Tonks. "You've got our full attention."

And getting straight to it—because he was not a man of games******—**the Minister said, "there's a more specific reason of why all the representatives of the Wizarding Communities are coming together recently. A reason that's more than magical cooperation and peaceful ideals to come together." The Minister's dark eyes looked at the three men—at the men he has seen grown up and develop to the best Aurors he has seen in all these years. But his gaze wasn't warm, not trying to hold a memorable conversation; it was a dire, grave look.

"What reason?" Harry asked, noticing the stare.

"We don't know what we are looking for at the moment, Potter, but we know that it's happening." Kingsley dropped his arms from his chest, putting his palms on the surface of the glass table; his eyes still remaining on the three seated directly in front of him. "Attacks have been started on a few important members of society around our communities. These attacks have been the ones that catch people by surprise, that have been quietly committed."

"What exactly, Minister, do you mean by attacks and important people?" Malfoy's seriousness came to play and he forgot all about looking at Teddy stuffing the owl's mouth with a handful of crackers outside the glass walls. (Oh, the animal cruelty.)

The dark-skinned man rose back to his full height. "Cleverly calculated murders, Malfoy." He's expression was statuesque. "Murders that appear to be accidental, as if the victims were so carelessly going about their day and they all ended up dying out of thin air."

Harry's expression reflected the Minister's seriousness. "And the victims?"

"Let's just say, Harry, that they fancied being taught by you a few years ago." The Minister watched as the Chosen One's expression faded to an intense white mask. "Zacharias Smith has recently, it seems to be, fallen down a flight of stairs at his home three days ago. An accident that had his skull cracked open and traces of torture spells that were undetected by the muggle paramedics that found him."

With wide eyes, Ron looked incredulous. "Y-You...you don't think..."

"What, a reunion of Death Eaters?" Harry cut Ron off, scowling deeply as his heart began racing up his chest. "I highly doubt it. No one's stupid enough to attempt that. We've got mass numbers on our side now."

"Then what other bloody option do we have, Harry?" Auror Weasley reacted, his brows knitting together as he saw the answer clear on his best friend's face. "If it's not one of their movements, then who? The muggles?"

"Oh, I'm quite sure they've gathered their pitchforks and torches to come after us, Weasley," Malfoy hissed, standing up from his chair and glaring at the redhead man with all the fury and evil still left in his blood. "Think logically, if for once in your lifetime. There's no possible way that it can be a group of Death Eaters. Potter's right, they aren't stupid enough to even begin mobilizing. They have no feared leader, no supreme magic to help them with their killings this time."

Nodding, Kingsley said, "I think Draco's on to something." Trying to crush the moment of panic that seeped into the previous war heroes in front of them, even to the reformed Death Eater, he tried sounding reassuring. "This is much more than that, because it's not just your former classmates, but others from around the globe."

"We'll get into it, Kingsley," Harry said, his face still expressionless.

"I know you will, Harry. I have no doubt about that." Nodding his head in goodbye, the Minister made his way out of the office; not even bothering to look back as he let them comprehend the news completely.

"We are not, by any way, to let any of the other Aurors know, understood?" Potter said, his ordering tone kicking in. "This is kept between us. We'll figure where to start moving later."

"Do we tell Ginny and Hermione?" Ron asked, his voice several levels down of hysterical. (There was surely no time to be the little side-kick bitch at the moment.) "What if this gets bad?"

_ Bang._

"Absolutely not!" Keeping his fist glued to the glass, Draco Malfoy moved his infuriated silver eyes to the others left in the office. "Do as you bloody will with your respective others, but neither of you are to tell Hermione about this."

Ron narrowed his eyes at the blonde Auror. "Malfoy, 'Mione is implicated in this as much as my sister. It will be a security precaution just to inform her."

"We are to protect the people, Weasley," Malfoy's voice was still strained, still thick with fury mixed with a hint of fear, "not to go informing them about cases. I will protect my wife from anything, and I won't have you two panicking her to send my daughter away and for her to come back into saving the world. Those days of battle for her are long over, do you understand?"

Ron's glare intensified. "_Malfoy_—"

"No, Ron, stop." Harry raised his palm out to his brother-in-law. "Draco's got a point; we better not panic them. You know Gin, and I don't want another excuse for her to get worked up. Tell Pansy if you wish, but don't go telling anyone else."

And three, reluctant seconds of silence later, "Fine! I suppose you two are right."

_ Knock. Knock. Knock._

"An employee wants to talk to you." Interrupting the next three seconds in which the oddly three friends would make-up and call it a day, Teddy grunted as he held a note-pad and a quill as he entered the office.

Harry sat on his chair, his mind now too occupied to remember anything or anyone he was expecting. "Who?"

"Not you, Dad," Teddy huffed, scratching something off the paper. "This is sickle for handling your mail as well, Draco."

Before Draco could roll his eyes at the cousin that'd been blasted off his family-tree, his eyes caught sight of a tall, curvy woman walking into Harry's office.

The woman, who was dressed in classic robes, stared at the men with light green eyes—an almost clear color, as she smiled at them. A gesture that gave out the impression of friendliness, of some sort of warmth and charm. She had jet black-hair, curled loosely to her shoulders and parted in the middle to allow view of her pale face and rosy cheeks. She was the symbol of attraction, of instant comfort.

And just as her eyes landed on the blonde Auror, a twinkling, dulcet voice said, "good evening, Mister Malfoy, I'm Tanya Rowle. I'll be your new secretary."

Oh, no.

_ 'What if this gets bad?'_

Well, Mister Weasley, step aside and allow room for Draco Malfoy to evaluate the situation. It's about to get ugly.


	4. For the Beast and the Wrath of the Rose

**Recommendation: Read the list of all the new characters in the AN at the bottom before reading the chapter to avoid confusion.**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Oh, it was like one of those regular days—the ones where time just freezes and the heart rates of every young girl in the ancient school suddenly drops and the feel of a heart-attack takes over. One of those days when the eyes of those with mind-corrupting fantasies lingered on that specific blonde boy with the deepest emerald tie around his neck, looking as charming as there can be, even when he had an arm draped around a little redheaded girl that scowled at every meeting gaze. (It was a beautiful touch to the slow-motion effect that was currently happening in the hall.)

"You would think that Harry Potter was walking down this bloody corridor carrying Voldemort's head."

Scorpius Malfoy chuckled, tightening the hold he had on the girl's shoulders. "Well, it's just as good, love. Lily Potter's the big attraction. How can you not see the excitement?"

Lily rolled her eyes as she tried to wiggle herself away from Scorpius' hold.

"Don't be so touchy, Lily-pad," ignoring her deep frown at the pet-name the Weasley/Potter clan had given her, the blonde continued to let his sneer appear on his gorgeous face. "I just simply wanted to take a stroll with my favorite Potter, that's all."

The redheaded girl continue to frown, finding herself to be incapable to have her short arm reach towards his right robe-pocket and snatch her wand back. "Okay, three things, _Scor_," she grunted, finally giving up and letting the older student drag her to wherever it is he was going to annoy her to death. "One, I'm not your favorite Potter. That would be Al."

Scorpius grinned. Lily was one clever girl.

"Second, you kidnapped me on my way to Gryffindor Tower—this is not, whatsoever, a pleasant stroll. So, if you may, end the torture before one of your fangirls manages to find it in their brain-cells to register my face and leave me hate-mail or poison in my pumpkin juice."

"Oh, Lily-pad," Malfoy sighed dramatically dreamy, stopping the redhead before they entered the massive doors of the Great Hall. "That's where you are dreadfully wrong, you're my favorite Potter girl. Hell, you're my favorite Weasley descendant, as well."

Finally snaking away from his heavy arm, Lily crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at the blonde with all her might. "Well, don't I feel just so special." She kicked it up a notch, this time giving her eyebrows access to highlight her glare. "Tell me what you want already, for Merlin's sake, and let me continue on with my day Scorpius-free."

Scorpius raised a single, white finger in the air; letting a few passing giggling witches into the Great Hall. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase since you _are _ruining my rep with your little innocent face." Which was somewhat true; she was like a mascot. "Besides Zabini and I, you're the person that spent the most time with Al during the summer holidays. I need you to tell me who he fancies."

Lily raised her eyebrows a bit higher, calculating the moment. And then—well, then she started laughing mockingly at the blonde. "Malfoy, if you wanted to ask Al out, bothering me was surely not the way to find out if he will accept your invitation to Hogsmeade. But, just for reassurance, he talks about you all the time. He, like, blushes all the time when someone mentions you and he sighs romantically about your silvery eyes. You have nothing to worry about, he _adores_ you."

The handsome bloke frowned at the girl, this time his smirk fading from his face as she batted her eyelashes at him. "I'm serious, Potter. Do you know or not?"

"Why don't you ask him, Scorpius?" The little redhead asked, sporting the same frown. "Why are you even interested about my brother's love-life suddenly, anyway?

"He's my best mate, I'm just curious to know. And, besides, I already badgered Zabini about it, but the ruddy git doesn't want to spill a single thing. Why couldn't he inherit his father's charming blabber-mouth instead of his mother's loyalty?"

Lily watched her brother's best friend ramble to himself, his expression looking more dire than curious. "You've a hunch about who it is, don't you, Malfoy?"

Scorpius narrowed his eyes, trying to keep his expression cool. Like if he didn't have even the slightest fragment of a clue.

But just before Scorpius could even ask what the bloody hell that was supposed to mean or Lily could question that try, a blur of black hair, tan-skin, and blue eyes gripped Lily Potter by the arms. Looking more excited and energetic than one should at the late hour. "Let's go! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

"Go where—_Ow_, Dawn!" Lily winced, her gaze racing to the blonde not doing anything about her being shaken violently. "Alright, alright! Stop!"

"Okay, don't go about injuring a Potter." Getting a rapid headache from the shrill voices of the small girls, Scorpius pulled the dark-haired witch away from Lily. "If her dad's supporters see you mangling her, they'll come after you with beater bats and hang your head over the Gryffindor fireplace."

Rolling those icy blue eyes, Dawn Thomas scrunched her face towards Malfoy in a get-lost kind of way. "Lily, Lysander and Lorcan are going into the Forbidden Forest, " the Second Year whispered to her house-mate so the passing eavesdroppers wouldn't over hear about the devious plans she was itching to get into. "They gave me five minutes to come and find you so we can go with them!"

"Why the bloody hell are we going to the forest?" Lily asked, patting her friend's back as her eyes bulged and her cheeks became an excited-pink.

"And why are your thickheaded brothers taking you?" Malfoy added in, raising his eyebrows at the two Second Years. "Haven't they been listening to McGonagall's orders all these years? She forbade them from even breathing around the edge of the forest."

"You're one to talk, Malfoy," Dawn scoffed. "Besides, my brothers are going for academic purposes only. Those Ravenclaws and their needs to learn wildlife, you know. But you and I, Potter, we have business to discuss." Her fingertips met together and she began tapping them in a mischievous manner as she wiggled her dark eyebrows at the redhead.

"Oh, right, right." Lily nodded her head, her index finger tapping over her lips. "Well, let's go then."

"Lily!" Scorpius cut in, holding the youngest Potter by her hand before she stormed after Luna Lovegood's bad-influence-of-a-daughter. (Oh, who would've ever thought of something like that ever happening?) "You can't expect me to let you just stroll into the forest, can you?"

The redheaded Gryffindor raised her eyebrow, watching silently as the blonde stared at her with worry. (What the…?)

"Take your wand, Lily-pad!" Ah, and there it is. "You might need it to escape the centaurs. Remember, they look cute and cuddly, but if you jump on their back, Lily dear, they'll stomp you to pieces and mummy Potter won't recognize you by the Christmas holidays."

Snatching her wand from him, Lily hissed at the boy. "You're such a sodding tosser!"

"—Oi, is that a way to talk in public, Lily?" Appearing from a mob of Slytherins that made their way uncharacteristically together towards the Great Hall, Al Potter frowned at his sister with a disapproving stare. "You're going to make people think that the Potters are an unmannerly group."

"Well, then, if you want me to act like a proper lady, brother, I suggest you have your mate stop badgering me. He makes me want to bang his head against a concrete wall until he bleeds to death."

"—Malfoy wants to know who you fancy," Dawn interjected before Al even got the chance to ask; giving Lily another hurried look as her brother's eyes widened. "Can we go now? I won't forgive you if the twins left already, Lily!"

Watching as his twelve year-old sister and friend raced away from him, leaving him alone with Malfoy's expecting eyes, Al cleared his throat awkwardly. "I really don't fancy anyone, mate," he began making his way into the Great Hall with the blonde right behind him. His calm and cautious tone made its way to his voice, playing along with the blank expression on his face; masking the thundering heartbeat in his chest as a face appeared in his mind. "I'm thirteen, the only exciting thing going on in my life is school and that detention I got from McGonagall for hexing James when he tripped me on my way to class."

"We're best mates, aren't we not?" Scorpius raised his eyebrow, keeping his eyes ahead of him as he felt like the words that came out of his mouth were tainted with a disgusted emotion.

Al cleared his throat again. "...Yeah."

"Well, erm, shouldn't you—" Interrupting him like a holy escape from the mess of the friendship-y conversation he had just begun, Scorpius narrowed his eyes as Louis Weasley banged his fist on the Gryffindor tabletop and two students pulled him from his seat brusquely.

"_Oi_!" Al hissed, pushing past a few students that had risen up to see the scene. "Flint, Nott, is there a problem?" His face transformed rapidly into an expression of complete rage, of an infuriated man instead of a Third Year student.

Arriving behind his friend, Scorpius found a bloke grinning up at the newcomers with a sneer that could compete with his. It was Damien McLaggen.

Laughing silently to himself, McLaggen replied smoothly in his malicious voice with a, "there's no problem, Potter."

"Ease up, Flint, you'll choke Weasley to death." And as Al didn't hear or acknowledged McLaggen, Malfoy whipped out his wand and tapped one of the older Slytherins on his arm; signaling for him to loosen the grip.

Pulling Malfoy away from watching carefully as the two Sixth Year Slytherins let go of Weasley's collar, a redhead spoke with a silky, dominant voice. She was staring at the other two Slytherins with an annoyed expression; her palm on McLaggen's shoulder as if she was holding him back. "Nothing's going on. Damien just stopped by to say hello, nothing more."

"Nothing more," McLaggen repeated, his smirk still high on his face as he stood from the Gryffindor table, looking at his house-mates calmly as if his business there was done. "Well, I suppose I'll see you later, right, Rose?"

Rose Weasley smiled, ignoring the death-glares her cousins were throwing at her. "Of course, Damien. Library as usual?"

"Of course." He leaned down and pressed a kiss on her head as he stood. "Potter, Malfoy, see you two at the Common Room," the Slytherin said after responding to the redhead Gryffindor.

McLaggen chuckled darkly, aiming them one more foul look, before being followed by his two friends to the doors of the Great Hall.

_ Bang._

Slamming his schoolbag onto the table as he picked up a goblet, Scorpius managed to clutch onto Louis before he could throw the glass towards the retreating Slytherins. "Causing quite the stir, Rose?" He exhaled, pushing the blonde Gryffindor down onto the bench as a few teachers began to stand from the staff table; giving them more attention than Malfoy wanted at the moment.

"We've told you about McLaggen, Rose," Al cut in before his cousin could reply to his friend's comment. "Hell, even Aunt Pansy has told you about him. Why do you continue letting him woo you like it's bloody charming to have him around?"

"He's a foul git!" Louis hissed, shoving Malfoy's hands away from his shoulders. "He always has been, always will be. And if you don't want me to murder him and send him playing with the squid in the Black Lake, I suggest you put an end to your damn friendship."

"Is that an order, Louis?" Rose snapped, her bright eyes gleaming with venom.

"It's for your own good, Rose!" The elder Gryffindor retorted, his expression quite serious as the redhead peered up at the blonde Slytherin; her eyes meeting with his as her cousin went on with his rambling.

She stared at him, wishing him through her hard gaze to say something. To comment about the clear liking Damien McLaggen had taken upon her; to say something that showed what he actually thought of the situation. Something that gave her a clue of what he thought, of a tiny fragment of feeling that could explain the blank-state he went into whenever McLaggen was brought into the conversation. She looked at him with the stare of hope that she wasn't crazy and that he actually did feel something for her, that it just wasn't in her head and that he cared too.

But Rose Weasley should have known better. Scorpius does not talk about his emotions, let alone allow someone to take a glimpse of them for their own needs. Especially not for her.

"That entire family is mental!"

Blinking away from Rose's stare, Scorpius scoffed at Louis' last words. "Perhaps the majority of them are, Weasley, but Lana McLaggen is not mental." He sneered smoothly at the redhead, sitting himself across from her as her cheeks started burning red. "Alright, she's mental in some ways, but believe me, they pay off fantastically."

Distracting himself away from the anger that had boiled before, Louis nodded in agreement with Malfoy. Both of them stormed up the image of a gorgeous Slytherin Fifth Year. Everything from the perfect shape of her mouth, the color of her emerald eyes, and her beautiful straight dark hair. To every boy, Slytherin to Hufflepuff, she was perfection at its shining best.

"She should have been a Gryffindor," Louis sighed.

Al chuckled at the sour look on his cousin's face. "And deny us the privilege to see her walk out in her nightgown at night?" A snort finished Al's point.

"Well, by the things I've heard, Al, you could just go to Malfoy's dormitory and catch a glimpse of her there without it." Louis turned to his left and punched Scorpius on the arm. "Damn lucky prat."

"Trust me when I say this, mate, she comes to me without it." Reaching forward and yanking Rose's plate of unfinished food, the handsome Malfoy heir aimed a wink at the fuming redhead.

It was a lie, but she didn't have to know that.

** X**

"And then presto**********—**" _Clap_. "James blew up!"

In the group that had gathered unexpectedly, a girl with the most brilliant silver eyes that had ever competed with the color of the moon, smiled dimly as the people around her breathed the air of solitaire she had to herself a few moments ago. Five glorious minutes of sitting alone in a bench on the grounds of Hogwarts, enjoying the night before the bell rang and signaled her to the imprisonment that curfew was.

"I did not blow up, Fred," James Potter hissed, his frown glowing in the moonlight as the others stared at the bruise that was forming underneath his left eye. "Al caught me off guard, that's all."

"Not like you don't deserve it, James, but getting hexed by a younger student must be quite shameful. I imagine you're not allowed to show your face on the second floor from now on, eh?"

James's scowl grew more livid as his two redheaded cousins, the Weasley twins, chuckled mockingly together as his face grew red from the memory of his fellow Fifth Years teasing him when the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor told him to stop crying and let a Gryffindor escort him to the Hospital Wing. (Oh, how they pointed fingers at his puffy eye and called him a sissy.) "Little Al will pay for this, you lot remember that. And unless you want to be added to my list, I suggest you shove off and stop telling the story to every bloody person that shows up."

"List? What list?" Roxanne snorted next to her brother, their identical-looking faces turning towards each other for a second to roll their brown eyes. "James, you're too lazy to pick up a quill to even write down your name on your homework parchment. You're telling me you make a list of people your going to take revenge on?"

"It's a damn metaphorical list, Roxy!" James bellowed, irritation bubbling as they all continued to laugh again.

"Well, look what we have here**********—**" The wind blew coldly among the group, making their skins shiver as three tall boys strolled their way towards them. The three of them looked unmoved by the chilly weather as they approached the bench, the leader of them stopping right next to the girl with those silvery eyes that stood furthest from the group. "It's a family moment."

"How endearing," Joseph Flint commented nastily, stopping behind the Slytherin he followed loyally like a trained puppy. "Sharing secrets and swapping jumpers, are you? Bet Grandmum Weasley must knit her life away for such precious lads."

The row of relatives scowled immediately at the three Slytherins, the same look of hatred going from one to the other.

"Tell me something, _Ana_," Damien McLaggen sneered darkly as the descendants of the Weasleys continued to keep their mouths shut, looking enraged but without throwing a retort, "does old Mrs. Weasley knit a sweater for you on Christmas as well? Or does she just send you some socks as a subtle hint that you're technically not a part of her family?"

Attempting to move a step away from the disturbing-excuse-of-a-teenage-boy, the girl was held back by McLaggen's arm. He gripped her around the shoulders, keeping her in place forcefully; his eyes growing wide with amusement as Peyton Weasley took an automatic step towards him, scowling by the action.

"Tell me something, Damien, how does it feel to sit home on every holiday, even on the cursed day that marks your entrance to this world, all alone? To be a blind spot to your parents who can give a Hippogriff's ass whether you're sitting at home with a hot cup of tea waiting for their arrival?" Ariana Malfoy peered up at the Slytherin with that glare that made his look tamed. "Is that why you're so bitter? Do you need a hug?"

"Do _you _need a hug, Ariana?" McLaggen snapped back, clutching harder onto the girl as Peyton smirked proudly at her. (The little Weasley boy was lucky he was Rose's younger brother or Damien would have jinxed his face off without even a second thought.) "Or have you already given up on the fact that you will always be less than your brother?"

Ariana bit her lip, not wanting to show any emotion from crossing her face and exposing any hint of a reaction. "Well, if we are talking about being pathetic and less than everyone else, I'm sure you know all about it, right, McLaggen?"

"Come again?" The Sixth Year Slytherin hissed, his hand snaking up to Ariana's caramel-colored locks, gripping her roots as his anger boiled.

Right on cue as the tiny group of Weasleys and a Potter stepped forward, Flint and Nott raised their wands at the students. "Lower your wands," they commanded.

Ariana's intense gray eyes narrowed, her neck pulled back so she was staring at McLaggen dead-on. Her anger grew as Flint gave Peyton a shove back, preventing the First Year from even taking one step closer to her and Damien. "It seems to me that you're less than I am, Damien. You're sixteen and picking on younger students just to feel like your manly-bits are actually there. Which, I can see why you'd do it. I mean, you're hardly a man at all, are you? You're just always going to push your way among the crowd, hoping that they all crawl at your feet like Flint and Nott. I expect you'll be waiting quite a while for that, oh pathetic-one. Not everyone is as thick as your little dogs. Most of us really can see that you are as worthless as a flobberworm."

With a hard pull of her hair and a shaking free fist, Damien McLaggen pushed the Malfoy girl down, shoving her onto the grass floor as Flint forced the male-half of the Weasley twins onto the bench before he could march forward.

The girl looked up from the grass, her silvery eyes piercing like daggers straight through the older boy's. Her hair was scattered and knotted around her shoulders from the yank he had given to it. Her palms contracted into the soil of the wet grass as he pulled out his wand.

"We'll see who's pathetic now, Malfoy—"

"_Protego_!" Appearing onto the scene like the wind blowing through the grass undetected, two Slytherins made their way to McLaggen's side. One looked as calm as if nothing wrong was going on and the other glowered as if he had just witnessed a murder.

"Evening, Beast."

Huffing silently, Ariana moved her eyes to connect with the ones that were exactly like hers; to the eyes that had been passed on to her and her older brother by Draco Malfoy as his beautiful genetic-inheritance.

"You seem a little down, Ana, something the matter?" Scorpius grinned, shoving his fellow house-mate aside as Al Potter pointed his wand at Thomas Nott; jabbing his wand-tip on his back until the elder boy removed his wand from James' chest. (Getting saved by the little brother? Oh, James was definitely not going to be allowed in the cool boys' restroom tomorrow!)

"No, just enjoying the night before curfew," Ariana responded, her own smirk appearing as Damien McLaggen kept his wand pointed at her even though her brother had a shield spell over her body. "Care to join me?" She patted the grass next to her.

Scorpius sneered, shaking his unruly blonde hair and chuckling teasingly at his sister. "I'm sorry, Ariana, but I'll pass. I really don't fancy going to bed smelling like troll. And just the smell of you..." he trailed off, shrugging casually as his Gryffindor sister tried not to glare at him. "Don't know how they stand it, but I suppose it's pity, eh?"

"It seems I've made a new best friend, Scorpius," Ariana chimed in, trying to keep her blood from boiling and cursing her brother and calling it a night. (She was sure the bell was going to ring in a few minutes and she wanted to watch her brother crumble from her jinx. It's a daily to-do thing on her schedule.) "McLaggen and I are going to be quite inseparable, you know? He is as pitiful as I am."

Hissing a nasty insult at the younger of the Malfoys theatrical grin, Damien McLaggen pushed the blonde student away from his path as he pointed his wand out even further, to the point where it touched Ariana's forehead. "Look, you stupid, bloody witch—"

As soon as Scorpius felt the elbow collide with his ribs, his eyes flared up towards McLaggen; fury seeping in as he watched the slimy git threaten his sister. A blast of emotions crawled up into his chest and exploded out as he made his wand-tip glow with a red light. "_Expelliarmus_!"

Satisfaction raced up his spine as he watched the Slytherin fly back a few feet away from Ariana, his crude remark halted before he could fully insult his thirteen year-old sister.

As time moved as slow as it did in those muggle action-films Blaise Zabini loves to have his goddaughter watch, Ariana lifted herself off of the grass and twirled her brother out of the way before Flint's wand could spew out the silent curse he was aiming at him. "_Levicorpus_!"

Roxanne laughed as Nott got tangled between Ariana's spell and was now hanging a few feet off the ground with his mate; both of them dangling upside down as they cursed and threatened the girl with colorful words. "Flint, Nott, you lot should really hang out more. If I may say, the entertainment you two bring is just quite amusing. Too bad McLaggen couldn't join you. Not to worry, I'm sure your master will be conscious in a few hours."

"…Are you okay?" Al breathed, moving towards Ariana hurriedly as she inhaled deeply; her cheeks flushing pink as Flint tried clawing at her from his hold up in space.

Ariana gazed at Al, her mind rushing with the flashes of the spells still burning in her sockets, even as he grabbed her hand.

"_Ana_?" He whispered again, looking momentarily frighten that McLaggen had done some damage to his best mate's sister.

Both Gryffindor and Slytherin Malfoys stared at each other**********—**the boy raising his eyebrow slightly as the girl tore her hand away from Potter's rapidly. Not even allowing herself to feel his fingers wrap themselves around hers. The siblings stared at each other, just for a fragment of a second. A short moment that both of them said an unspoken 'thanks'; a word that means being grateful that will never be heard from each other. Especially if they had to direct it to the other because, according to them, Scorpius and Ariana Malfoy do not love each other. They were just cursed in being blood-related and restricted from murdering each other by their parents.

A small smile appeared on Ariana's face as her brother mirrored that tiny gesture—quickly erasing it with a glare.

"Roxanne," Scorpius called, ending the silent staring between him and his sister, "why don't you take the troll back to the dormitories while I clean up the mess? Curfew will end soon, and Ana is completely useless that she'll have us in a deeper mess once they find McLaggen's body if she is not escorted out quickly."

"I don't need your help," Ariana snapped as Roxanne reached for her hand, her gaze never meeting Al's as his cousin dragged her off. Even as her neck twitched to make her look at those emerald eyes before she regretted it and had to wait hours until she could again.

"_Bitch_," Scorpius hissed, his handsome face twisting to a fast expression of pain as she sent him a kick on the knee. "Just get out of here, beast. I've had enough of you for a night, I don't need your presence inflicted on me more than it is required."

Creeping up next to Malfoy and Al, the First Year Slytherin in the group watched silently for a few seconds as the huddle of Gryffindors headed towards the castle before Ariana could attack her brother again. "Rose is going to kill you once she finds out what you did to McLaggen, Malfoy," Peyton said to his house-mate. "You know that, right?"

"You know something, Weasley," Malfoy commented casually, standing straight again as the pain on his knee faded and he threw a silencing spell at the pair of students still floating in the air above them, "your sister is thicker than mine and that's a lot to say. She believes McLaggen is saint cast into the world by Merlin to make peace everywhere he goes."

"Yeah, well, Rose gets that from Dad's side of the family. She thinks everyone has good in them. So, obviously, she think she's saving McLaggen's soul or something," Peyton replied, waving a palm at Flint as his fingers flew past his red hair in a fail try to hurt him. "She'll think you did this to bother her, and then you'll have a tornado heading your way."

"I can take a little gust of wind." Scorpius grinned, imagining Rose Weasley's infuriated face the next day.

There was nothing better than sending the redheaded girl into a frenzy; a payback to what she did to him.

* * *

**(AN: Oh, he loves his sister and you all know it! xD)**

**Alright, kids named after the parents.  
**

**Draco and Hermione: **Scorpius Malfoy (Fifth Year, Slytherin.)** ; **Ariana Malfoy (Third Year, Gryffindor.)**; **Demetria Malfoy. (Two year-old.)

**Harry and Ginny: **James Sirius Potter (Fifth Year, Gryffindor.)** ; **Albus Severus Potter (Third Year, Slytherin.)**; **Lily Luna Potter (Second Year, Gryffindor.)**; **Teddy Remus Lupin. (Eighteen years-old. Auror Trainee.)

**Ron and Pansy: **Rose Weasley (Fifth Year, Gryffindor.) **;** Peyton Weasley (First Year, Slytherin.)

**Blaise and Cho:** Angelo Zabini (Fourth Year, Slytherin.)** ;** Savanna Zabini. (Third Year, Ravenclaw.)

**Dean and Luna:** Lorcan and Lysander Thomas (Twins. Fourth Years, Ravenclaws.)** ; **Dawn Thomas (Second Year, Gryffindor.)

**Seamus and Lavender:** Dash Finnegan. (Fourth Year, Gryffindor.)

**George and Angelina:** Fred Weasley II and Roxanne Wealsey (Twins. Fifth Year, Gryffindors.)

**Bill and Fleur: **Victoire Weasley (Seventeen years-old. Healer Trainee.) **; **Dominique Weasley (Seventh Year, Gryffindor.) **; **Louis Weasley (Sixth Year, Gryffindor.)

**Other Characters: **Damien McLaggen (Sixth Year, Slytherin.) **;** Lana McLaggen (Fifth Year, Slytherin.) **; **Joseph Flint (Sixth Year, Slytherin.) Thomas Nott (Sixth Year, Slytherin.)


	5. Collapsing

**Chapter Five**

Peeking into the room like it was used to, the sun was sending its shining rays into that emerald-decorated bedroom with the pleasure of getting to see another mishap occur for the owner of the supposed-to-be muggle home. Because there, as the sunrays ignited the room dimly, the sun got to witness the frown on the blonde wizard's face as he stood in the middle of his room, arms crossed.

There was a loud giggle adding to the man's frown.

Inhaling deeply once, Draco Malfoy's silver eyes glowered with irritation as another second ticked by on the muggle-clock and nothing was going his way."This is going to be much more painful than you can imagine," he threatened.

_ Plop._

He squinted his eyes as a large stream of liquid came rushing down from his ceiling, damping the metallic sheets on his bed that had just been washed the day before.

"Alright, that's it!" He hissed, his neck swinging back as he stared up at the ceiling. "Demetria Malfoy, if you do not come down here in three seconds I will curse you back three years!"

Another loud giggle broke out, sounding like bells echoing off the walls as a dirty-blonde toddler stared at the blonde man upside down from her place on the ceiling. She was on all fours, with the lid of her baby-bottle still clutched between her teeth as the actual bottle that held her milk was discarded on her parents' bed; splattered on the sheets. (Well, there went her breakfast. She was perfectly aware that after this she was not going to be getting a new bottle of warm milk.)

"Demetria—_Wait! _Okay, no, no!" Draco's would-be hiss was cut short as panic pounded into his chest as the almost three-year old waved a pink palm at him; letting go of her unsafe, but still safe hold on the ceiling. " Demetria, no! Do not let go of that bloody ceiling, do you hear me?"

Demetria opened her mouth, the lid falling from her mouth and landing on the bed beneath her and she let out a gust of wind, almost making it sound like a gurgle as she figured there really wasn't much to say in this situation. (She was resting on the damn ceiling, what could she say to that lethal-looking man that could spare her life once she was rescued?)

"…How did my morning end up like this?" Draco muttered to himself, his hard gaze still fixed upon his daughter. "Being woken by that bloody beeping contraption, no breakfast, no pants," his eyes traveled down to himself for a quick millisecond, only to see the material of his black boxers, "losing my wand, finding my daughter dangling in the air, my wand in her ruddy pocket." He stopped himself, trailing off before he could give himself a few more reasons why this was not the way to wake up and his anger multiplied. (Not like things could get worse at this point, right?)

_Crack!_

"—Morning, mate!"

With that Italian accented voice echoing off the walls of his bedroom, Malfoy knew that somewhere in hell his Auntie Bellatrix was laughing hysterically at his luck as he was about to start banging his head on the wall; hoping for unconsciousness.

"Oi, Demi, what are you doing, darling?!"

Cursing himself, Draco rubbed his temples in desperate need to push away the upcoming headache. "She's hanging from the ceiling, you dunce, not miles away dancing with a ghoul."

"Huh, I'm guessing she knicked those MoonSocks from Weasley when Ginny took her to the shop yesterday, eh?" Waving a dark palm at the toddler, Blaise Zabini sighed happily, shaking his hair as he chuckled. "Oh, those kids, mate. They do the darnest things."

Muttering another curse word, Draco made sure his daughter still had her hands on the ceiling and her little feet—coated in the brightest of yellow material—were still firmly on it too as he turned to glare at the man. "I'm glad you're having a pleasant morning, Zabini. Couldn't be happier for you that Cho let you two give it a go before you came here, honestly. But could you _please _get Demetria off the _blasted _ceiling before her mother murders me?!"

"Oh, can you really tell?" Blaise chuckled more, completely oblivious to his friend's deep irritation as he blushed lightly as he pulled out his wand and pointed it above his head. "It's the glow, isn't it? Yeah, mate, I get rather peachy-looking when I've satisfactorily completed my husband-ly duties."

Trying not to gag or just plain sucker-punch Blaise on the head, Malfoy outstretched his arms as the words '_Wingardium Leviosa_' came from Zabini and the dirty-blonde girl came floating down, giggling like the proud half Malfoy that she was for her stunt.

And as soon as a pair of brown eyes looked into his, Draco frowned; even though thick eyelashes were being batted at him with innocence. "Well," his tone was stern, "do you have something to say, Demetria?"

Contemplating it for a second, Demetria settled on sending her father a clueless grin.

"Draco!" There was footsteps heard coming towards the master bedroom. "Dra—oh, there you two are."

Lifting his hands up in a what-the-bloody-Merlin manner, Blaise glared at the brunette that stormed into the bedroom. "What the hell am I?"

"Easily ignored." Rolling her eyes, Hermione Malfoy walked towards her husband and child as Blaise gasped dramatically at her indifferent comment. "Breakfast is ready, Malfoy. You can go eat now, so stop wasting your time doing nothing and go feed before you go to the Ministry."

Placing the girl in his wife's outstretched arms, Draco said, "get those socks off of Demetria's feet, Hermione, or she'll end up giving you a heart attack while I am at the Ministry." He then rubbed his temples, the headache already present. "And, please, find a way to make our home Apparation proof."

"What's got his knickers in a twist?"

"—I've made your favorite, Draco," Hermione replied calmly, smiling at him as Blaise shouted 'Stop ignoring me!', and she peered her brown eyes at her husband. "Tea and Pumpkin Juice on the side of the plate and the _Daily Prophet_ ready to be read."

Feeling like some of that pressure was off of his chest, Draco exhaled after a few moments. "Thank you."

Smiling a little wider because of the gratitude in his voice, the brunette lifted herself up on her toes to press a kiss on her husband's cheek. She knew something was going on in his head recently because he'd been quiet lately, only randomly taking off by Floo to Harry's house when he found the need to speak. (She was ready to curse him so he'd fess up what it was, but she knew she'd find out soon enough.) "Now, off you go. I don't want you to be running late. And, oh, here," before Draco could head towards the door, Hermione tossed him a pair of freshly washed trousers.

"You're like a maid, 'Mione, you know that?" Blaise chirped, watching with the same suspicion as his best friend walked out looking a little too pensive for his liking. "Cooking for him, washing his clothes, cleaning his dishes, sexing his needs—"

_Wham._

"Oi!" Zabini snapped, clutching on to his face as Hermione retracted her palm away from his right cheek; watching incredulously as she balanced the giggling two year-old on her hip and marched out of the room. "I thought you said I was easily ignored!"

** X**

With a hysterical squeak, an elder woman shot daggers with her bright blue eyes at the house-elf approaching the grand window in the ancient sitting room that the Malfoy Manor had. "Away from the windows!"

Trying her hardest not to raise her thin eyebrow, because she couldn't even if she wanted, Beta the house-elf nodded her head obediently at the blonde woman. "As you wish, Mistress," trailing off for a slight second, the house-elf cleared her throat and spoke again. "But Beta would like to...inform… that the windows have been getting dusty, Mistress. Beta hasn't been able to clean them for the past two weeks."

"Forget about the windows, Beta," sighing with a tired expression, Narcissa Malfoy settled her trembling palms over her lap, staring at her house-elf from one of the armchairs in the sitting room; relaxing after she'd steered away from the windows. "A little dust is the least of my concerns at the moment. Why don't you go clean the rooms upstairs? My grandson left a disastrous mess in his bedroom last time he came to visit. I'm sure the higher levels of the Manor could use some cleaning."

Beta twirled her long, bony fingers with one another as she looked down at her hands. Not daring to look at his mistress as she was about to go against house-elf codes and contradict her. "….But Beta has cleaned Master Scorpius' room three times this week, Mistress."

And with her hands still shaking, the house-elf noticed that Mrs. Malfoy did not even hear her comment, and so, she proceeded to look up at the other woman sitting in the room too.

Giving a little nod at Beta, Hermione cleared her throat to try and get her mother-in-law's attention. "Narcissa, is something the matter? You look a bit shaken up."

Contemplating that her twinges were becoming too obvious, Mrs. Malfoy reached for her cup of tea on the center table between her daughter-in-law and her; trying to get them to do something other than cause suspicion in everyone around her. "I'm perfectly fine, dear."

"You've being looking rather nervous since I arrived," Hermione said frankly, frowning at the woman who was clearly taking the Brightest Witch of the Age as an idiot. "Not to mention you jump at every little noise. Is there something you wish to share?"

Narcissa sipped on her tea, her eyes focusing on the cup itself rather than looking at the brunette. "Nothing is the matter, Hermione. I assure you. I've just been feeling quite nostalgic, that's all. I miss my grandchildren terribly, and the Christmas holidays seem so far away."

"Ariana tells me she writes to you frequently, and I know she misses you as much as Scorpius does. Besides, Teddy comes to visit you frequently, right?" Hermione asked, letting the subject be diverged as she knew the woman was not going to be speaking of her jitters. "After all, Andromeda finds herself here more than at Grimmauld Place."

Putting on a feigned smile—because the visits the former Black sisters were having had stopped short days ago—Narcissa laughed lightly. "But of course, dear. Teddy knows he is required to visit me at least twice a week. I can't help but to love his presence in this place. It really brightens up the Manor." Clearing her throat cleverly, Mrs. Malfoy settled her cup back on the table. "Ariana's birthday is approaching soon, any plans?"

"Cho wants to throw a conjoined party for the girls," Draco's wife began, settling on this conversation other than annoying Narcissa with her questioning. "It seems like a good idea. I mean, Savanna and Ariana share birthdays and the day falls on their holidays. It'll be a perfect opportunity, seeing as Ana never wants any sort of celebration."

Narcissa took another sip of her tea as her fingers began quivering again and she felt tears about to come out her eyes. "She reminds me of Draco," she tried to smile, a warm gesture that didn't match the glistening in her eyes. "In some ways, that is. She has his same distaste for formal gatherings and celebrations. When my son was young it had to be ordered for him to get out of his room and come socialize. Sure, he had been a very arrogant boy before, but he never did find pleasure on having everyone's face plastered up at his."

Before Hermione could utter an awkward response to that, the doors of the Malfoys sitting room opened and in came two blondes.

"Demi, there you are," the brunette turned her eyes to the little girl wobbling her way closer with the help of a tall man. "I'm sorry for the interruption, Mister Malfoy. After I noticed that she crawled away from Beta, I knew she had escaped to go and find you."

With a blank expression, but with very adoring eyes, Lucius Malfoy looked down at his youngest granddaughter; looking at her with that unapproachable affection that invaded his heart from the very first time he held her. Like when he held her siblings on the first days of their lives as well. "It's no trouble at all, Hermione. I always have time for her."

Hermione let a smile crawl onto her face, stretching it with feigned emotions as the ex-Death Eater moved his gray eyes to her and away from her daughter.

After all this time—after these fifteen years, things between Hermione and Lucius Malfoy had not gotten warm. Their interaction was always polite, but very forced. Neither of them ever spoke more than what was required, and both knew perfectly well that a relationship of in-laws was never going to exist between them. They just shared their love for Draco, their affection for Narcissa, and their blood with Scorpius, Ariana and Demetria.

She cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the awkward silence. "I hope she didn't interrupt your business meeting with that Ministry Official."

"Business meeting?" Mister Malfoy raised his blonde eyebrow, staring at the brunette with a slight confusion. "What business—"Stopping, Lucius caught the expression his wife was wearing, her worry glowing strongly in every centimeter of her face. "Oh. Well, yes. Auror Johnson was here with a memo from Mister Potter, but nothing important."

Turning to get her cup of tea, Hermione rolled her eyes at her husband's parents. If there is anything that got the witch so annoyed, it was when they treated her like a common idiot. As if she didn't notice every little action they were making, like she couldn't see the change in Draco, Narcissa, Lucius, or even her two best friends in the past few days. She knew that something was ticking badly, that there was an urgent matter bubbling in their heads—and she hated that they did not tell her.

Was she not a war hero for a reason? Was she not renovated over time to handle anything? Hadn't she already proven that she was capable of surviving any hardship?

"Alright," raising herself off the leather armchair, Hermione Malfoy handed her cup of tea to the house-elf that had apparated quickly to her side from a room upstairs as soon as she stood. "It's time for us to go." (After all, she rather be away from them if they were going to play her stupid.)

Shaking her dirty-blonde hair, Demetria flashed sad brown eyes at her mother. Begging her silently for them to prolong the visit for just a couple of more minutes.

"We've been here for three hours, Demi," Hermione sighed, laughing lightly as her two year-old pouted. "Besides, we promised Ginny we would go with her to the Burrow, remember? You've not seen Molly or Arthur in days. It's time for a visit, don't you think?"

Demetria pouted even more, adding a lip tremble as the light of the room made her eyes sparkle and her tight-curls look like a halo. (Bloody effects.)

"Narcissa," grunting at the girl, Hermione turned to her mother-in-law, "do you mind if she stays for another two hours? I'll be back for her as soon as possible."(Well, apparently that's how easily convinced the Brightest Witch of the Age was? Huh. No wonder she ended up having that 'slip' that led to the pouting girl in the middle of the sitting room.)

"Of course—"

"—No! Absolutely not!" Startling everyone in the room, Narcissa bolted upright from her chair; glaring at her husband, who'd taken the liberty of answering for her while her hands shook uncontrollably. "She is not staying here, Lucius. She is to go with Hermione. I am not having her here!"

"_Cissy_," Lucius exhaled seriously, glowering at his wife as she stood in her stance firmly. "It's just for a few hours. I'll keep Demetria with me at all times."

"It is not safe here, Lucius," his wife hissed, her voice breaking even though her fury had taken over her tone. "How could you even think of having our granddaughter—"A strange sensation crept up her spine, silencing her as a chill made the skin on her body go numb.

Noticing Narcissa freeze, Hermione did the same. An odd pressure clutched on to her heart, a knot growing thick in her throat that made her oxygen to come back out uneasily. She felt like her body had suddenly been taken over by a greater force, a force that was telling her something was approaching, that it was time to run.

Her ears perked up, her breath hitched as she heard movement somewhere outside and Mister Malfoy pulled out his wand instantly as the odd tension grew.

"…Shhh. No one move," he whispered harshly, his long white-blonde hair swaying in front of his pale face as he leaned towards the window, trying his hardest to listen to every little creek that was going on in the moment.

"_Ugh_," Demetria whined, her short legs wobbling as her grandfather let her hand go and she was on her own.

Lucius turned to his granddaughter, a finger on his lip. "Shhh—"

_ BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

"_Demetria_!" Lunging herself to the little girl who had fallen to the floor, Hermione pulled her daughter up to her arms when the grand window in the Malfoys sitting room exploded; shattering into a thousands pieces as loud sounds invaded the room and flashing of lights were appearing at every corner.

"Get her out!" Lucius shouted, slashing his wand in the air to stop a spell from hitting him. "Get her out of here, Hermione!" He shouted again, pushing his daughter-in-law steps back as he continued to block the spells heading their way. "_Cave Inimicum!_"

"—No!"

"—Don't let them escape!

"—Get them! Destroy their protection!"

"—Spare no one!"

After hearing and processing several of the angry-filled voices, Hermione gaped shockingly at the limp figure of her daughter. Her heart beating with so much force and pain that she thought it was going to cause a hole in her chest and it would bounce out. The knot in her throat even more excruciating as her hysteria rose to several levels of insane at the blood gushing at the side of the little girl's head.

"—_Expulso_!"

"—_Protego_!" As soon as the protection that Lucius had conjured was blown away, his wand expelled out a large clear bubble. A charm protecting the ones behind him as smoke started filling the air around them and his home was getting destroyed every fading second that shoved by them. "—Get her out!"

Seeing as the moment was calling for her duty, Beta the house-elf pushed past her Mistress and leaped forward to the brunette and her child, ripping the little girl from Hermione's arms as she just looked in a complete daze to even react at anything.

"…My baby," Hermione murmured, her eyes unfocused as Demetria didn't move. "M-my baby..."

_BOOM!_

And with a crack that was unheard from all the exploding and shouts, Beta disappeared with tears in her eyes as she stole the unmoving girl from her mother.

"—Everyone dies!"

"_Stupefy_!" As a figure emerged in front of Hermione, Narcissa acted as quickly as her senses would let her as she too shed tears—tears that were filled with mourning. "Hermione, move, darling, move!"

Shreds of plaster and marble were flying all around, accompanied by the things that occupied the grand sitting room. All of it flying past the victims as a group of three became largely visible to the Malfoys. The Protego Charm still on its hold as the intruders sneered and aimed bright colored lights at them, trying to break the shield that prevented them from ending the lives of those they were sent to finish.

"_Avada_—"

"—_Imperio_!" The eyes of one of the attackers went blank, his deadly curse cut short as Narcissa Malfoy managed to cast an Unforgivable at him before he did it to her.

"_Expelliarmus_!" Taking the distraction of the man closer to him, Lucius sent a body soaring backwards to collided with a wall; knocking him out cold. "Hermione!" The blonde man shouted, rushing towards the brunette as the other man sent a flash of green light towards her.

Looking up at the exact moment, Hermione was thrown a few feet away as her husband's father dove into the flash—his body landing on the floor with a haunting thud as that lethal green light got him, and took him completely.

Raising her wand higher, with a manically mental gaze, Narcissa screeched at the bewitched man with all of her wrath. "Kill your friend!"

And before the final man could even react, a wand was pointed at his head, with the glower of a man who could not control any of his actions looking at him possessed in the last second of his life. "_Avada Kedavra_!"

"…My baby...My baby...My baby," lowering herself onto the marbled ground, Hermione's eyes became even more outraged with overwhelming shock and trauma. Her bright brown eyes leaking thick tears as she shook her head, her mind unfocused to her thoughts as her body began trembling and the screams of agonizing pain echoed from Narcissa all around her.

Well, it seems like Hermione Granger has done it again. Something was definitely going on, but now, she had to figure it out before she realizes that the sentence of her death had been given.


	6. The Breed of Destruction

**Chapter Six —  
**

"They are simply-created creatures, born out of an emotion that is the polar-opposite of love. Everything about them is dangerous, so do not be fooled. There is no weapon used, no spell chanted and produced, they hurt you with what you got—your fear."

At the front of the dim classroom, Professor Longbottom looked at the faces of the students with a controlled expression; watching some of them gulp in anticipation and others stare off into space without a single focus on the lesson.

"Different from Dementors, who rather feed off your every happy memories until you are paralyzed with complete fear, Boggarts use your fear to defeat you," the professor began again. "It is said that the only person to have been able to catch a glimpse of the true identity of a Boggart was Merlin himself. Although that can not be proven either, can it? But that is exactly what a Boggart does—it shows you your greatest fear. It transforms itself into that single thing that can cause your heart to stop, your senses to freeze. A way to repel..."

Like fading noise, Professor Longbottom was cut short as the girl seated at the furthest part of the classroom looked out the window; blinking her already writhing attention away from the professor and focusing on the traveling clouds outside.

She blinked slowly, her hand resting on her cheek and making it keep her chin up as her eyes drooped dangerously. She kept her silvery eyes focused on the evergreen grounds of Hogwarts, watching other students roam the grounds freely or others traveling in a class for their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. She blinked her eyelids once more and she moved her sleepy gaze over towards the goal posts of the Quidditch Pitch.

Despite her boredom and sleepy state, her heart gave a little ecstatic beat as she could see the field. She loved flying ever since she could remember, which was very early on. She had first picked up a broom when she was four, scaring her grandmother to an overly-dramatic scene when she was hovering yards off the ground. She couldn't help herself, she just felt this incredible sense of liberty when she felt the wind push her hair back. Like nothing was holding her back.

At least, that was until her idiot of a brother had caught up with her and chucked a quaffle at her head. (Oh, how he pretended he never saw her fall coming.)

"—Miss Malfoy."

Starling herself upright, the girl turned away from the scowling that had surged from the memory and snapped her eyes to the Professor; flushing a light pink as all eyes were on her. "Yes, Professor?"

Professor Longbottom frowned, lowering the stick of chalk that was used to write many facts about something she'd not been paying attention to on the blackboard. "I do hope you have been taking notes all this time. This will be on your final exams, and I am not going to repeat information."

"I...erm..." Ariana Malfoy looked down at her parchment, staring at the smooth paper lay there perfectly blank and grudgingly at her.

"The spell, Miss Malfoy, to rid a boggart is 'Riddikulus'. It won't get rid of a boggart entirely, but if it is weakened already it will destroy it. Did you write that in your notes or do you expect to have remembered it by memory after not paying attention?" The Professor asked sternly.

A round of laughter broke out in the classroom, some muttering a 'loser' disguised as a cough as Ariana held her tongue; not wanting to retort back at the teacher that she'd already been taught about boggarts by her mother when she was five. (No need to brag that she was already prepared for her O.W.L's even at such a young age.) "I'm sorry, Professor. I'll go to the library and research the subject."

_ Ding. Ding. Ding._

A loud bell rung throughout the castle, signaling the students that it was time to be dismissed from lessons and enjoy a bit of lunch before attending their next classes.

"Miss Malfoy, if you could stay for a moment, please. I've got something I would like to tell you."

Swallowing a curse, Ariana nodded her head politely and sat still on her desk obediently as she tossed her schoolbag on top of her desk annoyed.

"I said Miss Malfoy, Potter, not you," frowning at the dark-haired Slytherin that had not gathered up his stuff and walked out with his house-mates and Gryffindors, Professor Longbottom motioned the boy to exit the classroom. "Out, Mister Potter."

"But...I was going to ask you about—"Groaning in resignation from the glower he was getting, Albus gathered his schoolbag and tossed the strap over his shoulder. "Fine, fine, I'll leave. But for future reference, you are a horrible teacher."

"Is something the matter, Professor?" Ariana asked, both her and the teacher ignoring the comment as Al stomped out.

Eyes were narrowed at her carefully. "I don't know, Miss Malfoy, you tell me."

"I was a bit distracted today," the girl responded, pushing her caramel-colored hair back behind her hears. "But I promise I'll have my parchment filled with notes by next lesson."

"I don't care about the notes, Miss Malfoy," the professor sighed, rolling her eyes at the young Gryffindor. "You are very bright, and I know for a fact that you have all of this material down. I'm not going to give you special privileges because of it, mind you, but you are required to add some attention into the lessons."

Ariana looked at the woman, completely silent.

"I'm worried for you. You just seem so...isolated and I—"

"Thank you for the reminder, Professor," the Third Year cut in, closing her schoolbag roughly as the woman blinked in surprise. "I will keep in mind to pay attention, so, please, forgive me for my disrespect. Same time tomorrow, then?"

The woman nodded, her brown hair swaying to her sides as she looked at the girl. "Goodbye, Ariana."

Breathing in to control her anger, Ariana looked back at her teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts; and a family friend. "Goodbye, Hannah."

"What did Hannah want?" As the Gryffindor exited the room, she was met with eager emerald eyes waiting for her outside the door. "I hope you didn't tell her about the mandrake Scorpius and I knicked from her husband. We're using it for Alice's protection, you know? Nothing serious, we're just getting a bloke off of her back. Not that Neville will mind, Lysander Thomas is a thickhead when he wants to be."

Raising her eyebrow, Ariana stopped as Al gripped the strap of her schoolbag when he was going on with his rambling about the two Longbottom professors and their daughter. "Don't worry, Hannah isn't aware of your future prank. Although, if you idiots hurt Lysander severely I won't hesitate to turn you in. He is an excellent bloke and he really does likes Alice."

Al raised an eyebrow, about to reply but the Gryffindor kept going.

"You know the only reason why you trolls are going after him is because Dash Finnegan fancies her too. And what sort of mates would you be if you didn't back up your friend, right?"

But not really paying attention to her accusing tone, Al asked, "how do you know that?" in a soft voice. His eyes connecting to hers as other students past them, none of them actually important or visible as his emerald orbs met her liquidize metal. "...About the feelings?"

The girl looked at him, allowing the Slytherin to pierce her vision with his illuminating gaze. She felt the strangest pull inside of her chest, almost as if her heart started beating a different rhythm. Something that was more tingly than what she had ever felt, more pressuring surges than before, more terrifying than it has ever been.

"...Ariana?" Al Potter called, his hand sliding away from the strap of her bag and onto her arm, slowly moving it so it slithered on top of hers. His fingers twisting in around hers so he was holding her hand, so he was feeling the smooth skin of her palm.

"…Because," she whispered, her eyes traveling down to their holding hands, "because the way—"

"Oi, there you are, Potter," interrupting the corny reply that was surely going to escape Ariana's mouth, the Gryffindor was never happier to see that very famous blonde Slytherin turn the corner of the corridor. Making Al jump away from her and their clutch released.

"Erm...Hey, mate."

Furrowing his eyebrows at the two Third Years, Scorpius Malfoy frowned at the nervous state they both looked; especially the sickening pink tint to his sister's cheeks. "Why are you with the beast? I told you we had business to discuss before the lunch period is over, and I was not going to wait forever, Potter."

"I...wasn't with her," Al mumbled, clearing his throat and scratching his head as he took several steps away from the Gryffindor. "Obviously not. I was just asking her what Hannah Longbottom wanted to talk to her about. We've got to make sure we can operate with all those blabber-mouths keeping their mouth shut, eh?"

Scorpius still kept his gaze hard, turning away from his best mate to his sister. "Well?" He asked, almost with a tone of discomfort and annoying anger. "Get out of here, beast. I'm sure there's a table of lonely idiot-Gryffindors waiting for you."

Ariana frowned, that change in her heartbeat falling and lowering itself to a limp thumping filled with frustration.

"Move on, move on," her brother clapped, signaling her to walk away now.

"Gits," she hissed, disappointment growing in her chest as she glared at Al and stormed away from the two Slytherins.

Of course she was isolated, she was surrounded by idiots.

**X**

She was running—running incredibly fast.

_ "What do you even see in him?"_

_ "What don't I see in him?" Dominique Weasley retorted in response to the question that was thrown at her. She spooned her mash-potatoes, looking quite bored as bright eyes stared at her in a quizzical manner. "He is really witty, charming, hysterical, sarcastic, slightly evil, dark-humor lover, knows how to break the rules—amazingly well, at that."_

_Glaring at the sadistic giggles that the curvy redhead was giving, Louis stabbed his steak as if he was trying to go past his plate and the table; his anger boiling in high levels. _

_ "You're going to regret it, Dom," Rose Weasley, scooting aside to make room for the incoming friends and family, clucked her tongue disapprovingly at her cousin. "Erik Krum is a two-timing Slytherin. He has been with half of the girls in the castle, and the other half are still illegal in some ways for him or else he would have gone through them too. He can't settle down or commit to one person, what makes you think he'll do it for _you_?"_

_Dominique rolled her eyes. "I never said I wanted him as a husband, Rose," she scoffed, laughing mockingly at her cousin. "Honestly, you are one strange girl. Sometimes you're like an exact replica of my dear Aunt Pansy, and in others you are as tamed as Uncle Ron. Pick a damn side, Rose Weasley, you're giving me a bloody headache."_

_ "—Oh, yes, Dom. Encourage Rose to be loose like you and soil the Weasley name further," barely arriving, and having had heard the nauseating part of the conversation, Fred Weasley frowned at his Uncle Bill's younger daughter as his twin snickered as she past by; high-fiving Dominique as she headed towards the Ravenclaw table to sit with Savanna Zabini. (He was going to have to report this to George, stat.) "How do you think Aunt Fleur will handle the news if the Headmistress owls her about your...impeccable house-unity methods?"_

_ "Or what if Uncle Bill finds out?" James asked, snickering._

_ "Or—_or_—what if we just happen to send an owl to Teddy and tell him what his favorite little redhead is doing when he no longer is at school? Of how trashy she's gotten now that he's graduated?" Snap. "Oh, no wait. He doesn't care. He is in love with Victoire. Never mind, carry on throwing yourself at whoever wants you."_

_ "What are you even doing here, Malfoy?" Dominique asked, her eyes furrowing at the teasing tone the blonde had spat out as he took a seat smoothly next to Rose; grinning wickedly as he casually threw an arm around her shoulder and she stiffened. Not budging under Dominique's lethal stare, knowing perfectly well that he was poking the wrong nerves. (But, oi, it's Scorpius. He doesn't necessarily care either.) "Slimy gits, alike you, sit at the Slytherin table. "_

_ "Brilliant comeback, Dom," the blonde smiled dangerously, still sitting at the wrong house-table as though he owned it. Even as his best friends, Angelo and Al, sat along with him. "But we thought we'd join you lads for a family dinner. Believe it or not, we don't really get that at the Slytherin table."_

_ "Unless you call it dinner if Lana McLaggen is eating an ice cream cone ever so slowly..."trailing off, Angelo Zabini shivered. "Every lick so painfully slow."_

_ "—You pig." Arriving at the table, Ariana Malfoy frowned at the group of people in front of her. "Don't you see children are present?" She asked the tanned-skin Slytherin, pointing a finger at Peyton Weasley who smirked cheekily at the faces turning to him._

_ "Oi, he's a Slytherin!" Angelo defended is if that justified his crude comment, crossing his arms as he tried to make himself comfortable in the overcrowded table. "And once he is a Third Year, he'll get to value the delicious view that Lana is when she's a Seventh Year and fully developed."_

Smack.

_ "Ow!"_

_ "He's eleven, you thunderhead!" Rose hissed, aiming another smack at Zabini. "Corrupt my brother's mind and I will make sure you sleep with the underground flobberworms today."_

_ Growing bored of the argument between the redhead Gryffindor and the Slytherin, Scorpius turned to his sister and said, "where have you been, Ana? A bit tardy for dinner, don't you think?"_

_ Ariana frowned even more. (He just had to speak to her, huh? He just had to send her day to the dogs.) "Well, Scor, I had a very big lunch with all my loser, lonely, Gryffindor friends. We were all so incredibly stuffed, that we just had to go roam the halls like pathetic little kids and pray to Merlin we can be just like you."_

_ (Wait, give it a second...)_

_ "But then I vomited all over the corridor that Filch gave me detention. Not to worry, though. As soon as I explained to him the situation for my disgust, he cleared it on the spot. I mean, imagine if everyone was like you? Oh...ugh...Just the thought is making me sick again—"Slapping a hand over her mouth, Ariana feigned gagging noises. Puffing out her cheeks and attempting to look as if she was about to hurl all over the Gryffindor tabletop. _

_ "—Ariana Malfoy."_

_ Before Scorpius could even respond to his sweet little sister, Roxanne Weasley marched up to her house-table; Savanna Zabini right behind her. _

_ Ariana's smug smirk at her brother's silence turned into a dim smile as she glanced up at the older girl. "Yes, Roxy?"_

_ "McGonagall was on her way out of the Great Hall when she gave me this," with her shiny Prefect badge, Roxy handed the almost-brunette a tiny squared parchment. "She looked as if she was in a great hurry, so I assume she didn't have time to give it to you personally but that it was important."_

_ "Oh, that's it, beast. You're done for it. The Headmistress is sending you back to live with the trolls."_

_ "Shut up, Scorpius," hushing the blonde, Savanna walked up to his sister and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well, go on. Open it. I'm bubbling with curiosity here. She seemed so hurried and frantic, I know the gossip must be good."_

_ Raising her eyebrow at the Ravenclaw, Ariana shoved her a couple of inches back and unfolded the parchment:_

An attack has been reported from Malfoy Manor.

Your mother and sister were visiting your grandparents when they were attacked.

The manor is destroyed. The condition of your relatives is yet to be declared. Auror Potter wished me to inform you about the recent news and suggested you remain clam. They'll try to send Trainee Lupin with news as soon as more is discovered.

Control yourself and your brother, Miss Malfoy.

-M.M.

_ Blinking her eyes as a pressure fell on her shoulders, Ariana looked up. Silence playing in her ears as the Weasley/Potter clan laughed among themselves, tossing the Zabinis in their jokes as everything slowed down. _

_ Silver eyes met silver, both of the intense pair of eyes locking into each other. Ariana's began to fill with a painful glisten as she dropped the note, startling the other gray eyes into a look of bubbling worry as she let the parchment slip and fall onto the marbled ground as if it were deadly. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She couldn't hear or say anything. All she felt was the weight of the world falling on her; crushing her._

_ And then, she took off. Bolting out of the Great Hall as if the pressure of the place was going to suffocate her and the only oxygen was outside—somewhere far away._

Her lungs were hurting, the air no longer passing down to them as her chest heaved. She didn't know how long she was running, but she knew that she was pushing her limits. She always knew that Hogwarts castle was huge, but it seemed endless as she ran. It seemed like it stretched out and took up the entire world; a thought so deluded that she didn't know if that was the case or it was because her body was commanding her to stop.

But she couldn't.

If she stopped, she'd never get to where she needed to be. She'd never get that weight off of her, wouldn't be able to breathe normally again. She wouldn't be able to survive the internal battle that was going inside of her and in her mind. She would lose, and then all of those horrible thoughts would win.

As she ran, it felt like she was fighting a battle against herself, against that little evil voice in her head that told her that her grandparents—her mother—and Demetria were dead. A voice that chuckled deviously and told her to stop, they were all dead now and she was just exhausting herself for the greater emotional destruction that was approaching.

She was fighting those negative thoughts and she was losing, losing badly. She felt like her bones were being crushed, her heart stomped and paraded on.

It was no longer a battle, it was a massacre to what she held most dear.

Ariana Malfoy was a simple girl. She was sarcastic, defensive, family-oriented, loyal, true, honest, fair, loving when she felt open enough—and like every other normal girl, her family was the switch that kept her living. It was the one thing, her damn legacy that ran through her veins and kept her on her feet.

And now what? What was she supposed to do?

"—Where are you going little girl?" A drawling voice entered her hearing range as she burst into the Head Office, her chest heaving painfully as she tried sucking in all the air she was capable of.

"She left through here, didn't she?" Turning to the voice, Ariana clutched onto her sides as she kicked the Headmistress' chair out of her way. "She doesn't like to apparate. My...my m-mum told me..."

"You are the one who is supposed to keep her composure, Miss Malfoy," that hooked-nose, pale faced man inside one of the highest portraits of past Headmasters spoke. Looking at the girl unmoved with his coal-black eyes, sitting on his chair in the painting as if he was having tea and chatting casually . "If I still had the life and power, I'd take ten points from Gryffindor for such display of commotion."

"I don't care!" Ariana snapped. "I'll give you all the damn rubies if you want—now answer me!"

"Just like your father," Severus Snape smirked, still looking calm at the hectic mess the girl was in front of him. "Demanding and arrogant enough to think people operate your way."

With traitor tears, Ariana squeaked heartbreakingly, "Severus, please." Her voice was less demanding, but a strange kind of pleading. "My mother...my sister...please."

Erasing the smirk, the old Potions Master grunted at the Third Year. "St. Mungos, little girl."

Ariana nodded instantly, automatically. "Thank you."

"_Don't_," Snape cut in, silencing her as she grabbed a handful of powder on the right side of the fireplace. "She'll never allow you to come back in here if she finds out it was me who let you pass, Ariana."

"I'll send my regards with Al, then, Professor," with a trembling lip, Ariana tossed her Floo Powder into the fireplace. And with a burst of emerald flames, she was swallowed whole. Her destination still echoing off of the walls of the Head Office, startling an old man inside a portrait from his apparent-slumber.

"What's worse, Severus," blue, twinkling bespectacled eyes peered at the portrait across, letting the mocking gaze stare into the dark one of Severus Snape, "a Slytherin, for his undying nerve, or the complete bravery of a Gryffindor?"

Returning the stare with a blank expression, Snape settled himself more comfortably inside of his portrait. "Combined with Granger and Draco's genes, it's impossible to tell, Dumbledore. It's something that has never been seen before, and the outcome is going to be deadly."

And he was right, like always. The worst was yet to come for the Malfoy family.


	7. Glass Cribs

** Chapter Seven**

He sat there, on that cold glass chair, staring in front of him as he made the surface of his hands keep his chin up. He just sat there, staring at the bed before him with indescribable iron-looking eyes; his pale features showing exhaustion, emphasizing the previous years of war he'd tried to make fade as an even more defined fatigue shone.

The room was silent, nothing but the _beep, beep, beep_ of that muggle contraption that many wizards found use for invaded the room. Only the sound of the machine and nothing more—but inside of his head, there was swooshing of wind, brain cells jamming together, voices speaking, movements marking, memories playing. Inside his head, Draco Malfoy was turning into a hectic mess that contradicted the silence of the room.

_ "...She's growing up so fast, isn't she?"_

_ Draco looked towards the small figure laying perfectly still underneath magenta-colored sheets. The large window behind the bed showing the calm midnight sea, the light of the conjured moon in the scene reflected off the white walls of the room; tossing deep light at the pale face of a young girl. _

_ He watched with muted fascination at the girl, completely dazzled at how beautiful she looked as the moonlight washed over her in her peaceful slumber. Looking exactly alike the woman he loved, like the brunette he had been watching for years sleep. _

_ "She'll be going to Hogwarts soon," is what he replied from the door, watching a tall figure lean down towards the bed and press a kiss on the girl's forehead. Staring for another two seconds before she walked towards the man at the entrance of the room. _

_ "She's going to be just fine, Draco," stopping in a perfect spot, where the light of the moon exposed the delicate features of her face, Hermione Malfoy stared at her husband knowingly; already guessing what his previous statement actually meant. "Ariana isn't like everyone else, you know that." She smiled at the man. "Besides, she's got loads of protection inside of Hogwarts if anything were to happen."_

_Looking away from his wife's smile, Draco turned from his place and walked down the hall of his house, hearing the light footsteps of the woman follow behind him. "Can you call that protection, Hermione?" He asked, opening another door with a soft creek; a very light teasing tone in his voice as the room came into view._

_And even though Draco's voice had held some teasing in it, Hermione stared inside with a contemplative gaze. On the furthest wall, on the right side of the room, her eyes flicking past that giant window at the center of the room—knowing perfectly well that the scene playing behind the glass was that of the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch—she stared calculating at a sleeping boy. Tousled and twisted between his dark sheets, an unconscious palm smacked against the emerald wall behind his bed, she twisted her lips to the side after a few more seconds of contemplating._

_ "So he is a bit of a commotion," Hermione interjected, smiling softly as the moon in the Quidditch pitch highlighted her son's blonde hair. "He's a growing boy, Draco, he'll adjust. He is just a Second Year, he still has time to settle in." _

_ "He's a smart boy, Hermione. He's had plenty of time to settle in," her husband said, turning to her as they both stood watching their son from the door. "He's like a higher version of who I used to be, remember? We've figured that since he was three."_

_ Without saying anything, the brunette raised her brow as she turned to look at him._

_ "…I'm just a bit nervous of his turn out," the blonde wizard explained, frowning at the lack of interest his wife was showing. "I don't want his arrogance to conflict with other people's feelings, Hermione. Especially his sister's. "_

_ "Scorpius has his ways, Draco, but at the end of the day he loves his family," reaching a palm to his shoulder, Hermione smiled again. "Let them grow accordingly, there is nothing to worry about."_

_ But her husband looked unconvinced at her carefree tone."...You say that so easily, why?"_

_ Rolling her eyes at the disguised concern in Draco's face, Hermione squeezed his shoulder before letting her hand slip. "Because, Malfoy, we have you." Her hand traveled to her abdomen—to that small bump already popping out from her skin . "And if I am corrected, nothing can possibly harm us when we are with you. Or, would you let danger get us?"_

"Never,"_ he responded fluidly, his eyes looking away from his new, developing child to his wife's brown eyes. "...Isn't that why I'm here? To protect you from anything and everything?"_

_ "Then stop worrying," she commanded, her fingers already grabbing and intertwining with his as she led him out of their eldest child's room. "Nothing will harm us as long as you're with us. Everything will always be okay, Draco."_

_ The man nodded, his face kept serious as if he was making an unheard unbreakable vow. "...Nothing will harm you."_

Draco gritted his teeth as the memory faded—of course he had failed.

His mind was playing dirty, tossing him memories of when he had sworn time and time again that he would never let anything happen to his family; that he'd protect Hermione with as much dedication as he once had when he thrived on making her life miserable. He had given her his word that he would protect their children, that not even the flu would come knocking on the door of their kids room to pay them a visit.

He had meant protection against everything, but he failed miserably. Now there was this sickening thump to his heart that made it seem as if a hole was starting to form in his chest, all because he didn't keep his promise. Now he was starting to feel like he used to, like a failure, like he was completely useless.

Entering the hospital room of St. Mungos, Harry Potter sighed with aggravation as he caught sight of the paralyzed blonde. "Come on, mate, what are you still doing here? How long are you going to stay here until someone kicks you out? Dean already told you that the room needs to be vacant."

Malfoy didn't move or blink, he just continued to stare at the taunting bed in front of him. Growing dizzy as he let his eyes wonder off to every wire and tube that made circles around the floor and over the white-sheets of the hospital bed.

Grunting to himself, the Chosen One decided to take a direct path to make the wizard react. "You should go outside to the waiting room. Be with your mother, mate. She needs you right now."

Swallowing, Draco cursed internally at the forming knot in his throat.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Harry sighed once more, the silence still pissing him off. "Look, Malfoy, if it gives you a bit of serenity, I promise I'll find who did this. I already have Aurors inspecting and analyzing the manor. Teddy's in charge, mind you, but he has direct orders to search the place multiples times before they are even granted a break. Kingsley's sent in Mister Weasley to see if he could find traces of any ancient dark magic."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"I'm...erm...going to be reporting to Malfoy Manor later on today, mate. I'll find something, I promise," Harry added awkwardly, clearing his throat as he attempted to make his old nemesis feel better. (Because, come on, who can feel calm if Teddy Lupin is leading an investigation?)

"…I'm going to take the case, Potter," lifting his head higher than how he'd had it in the previous hour, Draco turned his stormy gaze to the Savior of the Wizarding World. "I know Shacklebolt handed you the investigation, Potter, but as you can understand, I'll be taking the lead now."

This time Harry gave it a few seconds before speaking, calculating what he was going to say. "I can't, Malfoy." (Okay, maybe he should've given it a few more seconds of thought before he spoke to the temperamental man.) "This is my case and I'm the one who is going to be leading it. I can not have you be in front of this, Malfoy, and shun anyone who gets a little close to being the person at fault. You're not going to be thinking straight. This situation is personal—"

"Of course it has gotten bloody fucking personal!" Malfoy hissed, standing up in any angry flash as he glared at the bespectacled man. "My family was attacked, Potter! Do you bloody expect me to sit back and let someone else handle my business? It's my responsibility to find whoever did this—" His white finger pointed at the bed, the beep, beep, beep still going on became louder as his voice broke off. The Chosen One and him looking away from each other before the moment could become more tensed.

"—Usually," opening the door to the hospital room, a dark-skinned man walked inside; expecting the two men as he entered, hands folded over his bright Healer robes, "St. Mungos doesn't allow yelling to take place in their rooms. Unless it's from the patients, of course."

"Sorry, mate," Harry muttered, his aggravation coming back to the surface as Malfoy stood frozen into silence once again.

"I've come to check their pulses," Dean Thomas said, waving away his old classmate's apology and walking towards the bed first. "It's been a few hours, and I'm sure changes must have occurred."

Like being slapped beside the head, Draco took an unconscious step towards the white-sheeted bed, looking on the verge of breaking as the graduated Gryffindor pointed his wand at the face of the patient. His heart giving another one of those odd thumps as a 3-D image was conjured over the patient's head, showing an x-ray scan of what was going on internally.

"Hmm," Healer Thomas mumbled to himself, flicking his wand and making the image disappear as he turned away from the bed.

And almost as if the previous hurt wasn't enough, Malfoy felt as if he skin was being burned with the dark mark all over again. This time deeper, to every layer of skin and throughout his entire body. He watched with agonizing eyes as Dean bended slightly down to a glass crib; all the same wires and contraptions that were on the hospital bed were repeated and more dangerously placed around it. Around a small, fragile, and mangled toddler.

He watched as another image popped to the open, showing all those unexplainable signs and codes that could only be comprehended by the Healer."...How is she?"

And with another flick to make the scan disappear, Dean shared a silent stare with his old friend and then promptly turned to face Malfoy; knowing that it had gone unnoticed by the blonde since his mind was too preoccupied at the moment to notice the small details. "The amount of spells that hit her were too much for her developing system to handle." As a good friend of the Malfoy family, the Healer felt a bit of his own pain as he spoke to the man in front of him. "She is almost three years of age, Malfoy, and her central nervous system has yet to be fully developed as a grown adult would have. There was plenty of head trauma and we've barely managed to stop the hemorrhage since the house-elf brought her in."

"But you did stop it, right?" Harry asked, his tangled emotions starting to untwine themselves as two redheads entered the room silently, having heard most of Dean's diagnosis as Pansy found her way in with them. "The hemorrhage?"

"It was difficult, but we managed," Dean responded, feeling guiltier than a Healer should as all the others began to stare at him with worry. "It wasn't easy to stop the rupture of the blood vessels in her brain. There was already too much magic in her system, we didn't want to risk inflicting more into her and causing more damage. She'll be in a comatose state longer than what I could expect…However…"

"_However_?" Feeling a bit weak to shove off the hold that his friend had on him, Draco let Pansy have her palm resting on his shoulder; feeling more settled as his old friend was now present. (He didn't mind Potter, the Weasel, and the Weaslette, but nothing like his once-lap-dog to make him feel sturdy.)

Healer Thomas clutched onto his wand tighter, his expression dissolving into his dark skin until there was nothing but a blank canvas looking back at his friends. "I don't guarantee anything. The damage might be irreversible and she'll never wake up from her unconscious state...Or in a few months she could wake. But the effects might be too painful for her to handle, and she might now be able to survive on her own." Pausing, Dean tried to picture Luna's soothing face, an action that he did whenever he had to face the relatives of one of his patients with bad news. "You've to consider that having her in a long-term ward is an option. Or, as it has been proved, you can have her watched by your own personnel, alike Ariana Dumbledore had when the Fourth Floor: Spell Damaged was declined by the Dumbledores."

"Dumbledore's sister was not comatose, Dean," Ginny Potter snapped, staring stunned at her ex-boyfriend. "Her story is by far different than Demi's."

"Their brains were effect in similar ways, Ginny," Dean retorted, forgetting about his wife's soothing face as his anger flared as the redhead assumed he didn't know what he was talking about. "The point is, there is profound damage. The outcomes are not good. Maybe if Demetria had been nowhere near the first blast, there could've been more hope for her."

Ginny frowned at him.

Dean ignored her and continued. "According to Mrs. Malfoy, there were many spells thrown before the attackers managed to get inside the manor. She could have gotten hit by newly-created spells, but that doesn't matter, does it? She was still unprotected and got hit. The damage is done."

Draco's nostrils flared, his gray eyes turning into a thunderous storm as the image Thomas had played out descriptively well, took home in his head.

"…It's not his fault, Draco."

Before Malfoy could even let his venom slip, Ginny and Pansy squealed out a 'Hermione!'; distracting him completely from his bubbling murderous rage as brown eyes blinked alive from the hospital bed.

Hermione clenched her teeth, exposing a look of true pain as she started remembering everything from the attack as soon as her eyes fluttered open. "…I know what you're thinking, Draco, so stop," she whispered, her eyes already glistening as her husband stared at her from his stand feet away. "I didn't know where it came from...Before I could react, Demi was...I-I froze...I couldn't think of anything…N-no spells, no enchantments...just my daughter on that floor...I-I could have gotten to her but—"

"It's not _your _fault," her husband retorted, his feet still stuck on the tiled floor. "You went into a nervous breakdown, Hermione. Your senses were off, just as your mind did."

Knowing that Draco was about to start justifying her mistake, Hermione let her tears fall as she looked at the glass crib on her right side. Her insides burning with self-hate as she could see her daughter's bare chest attacked by wires and magnets connected to the beeping machine.

"...What happened?" She murmured, looking up at Draco. "Who could have ordered an attack at the Malfoy Manor?"

"That's what they're trying to investigate, 'Mione," Ginny replied, walking away from her own husband to join her brunette friend at her hospital bed. "Harry's leading the case."

Groaning internally at his wife's slip, Harry tried looking assured and professional at his best friend. "I've got a team of Aurors working on analyzing the manor, Hermione. Ron and I will be down at the site soon. We'll find whoever did this, I promise."

Glaring at Harry in a quick glance, a second later Ron forced an awkward smile at the woman on the hospital bed. "Yeah. We promise, 'Mione."

"Where's Narcissa?" Was Hermione's next question, remembering to corner her redheaded best friend as he sent another deadly frown at Harry and her husband; almost as if he knew more than he wanted to keep bottled. (And she knew that Ron Weasley's p-p-poker face was easy to b-b-break.)

"Andromeda's with her, Hermione," Pansy spoke, moving her comforting hand from Malfoy to her husband's back. Soothing him before his face started matching color with his hair. "She didn't want to be hospitalized and Andromeda promised Thomas she would look out after Cissy."

Hermione nodded. "And Mister Malfoy?"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

No one answered, so the brunette looked at her husband again. "...Draco, your father?"

"Dead," Malfoy responded emotionless, his silver eyes sparkling with that feeling he could not express. With those emotions that could not come out as they grabbed a hold of his heart.

Hermione's eyes widened in horror. "_W-What_?"

"'Mione, relax," Dean ordered. "If you let yourself go into overload, you'll be here longer."

"_Relax_?!" She huffed, her expression looking struck. "How can I possibly relax? He's dead, Dean!"

And just as Hermione's heart-monitor starting beeping erratically, her heart rate and blood pressure going awry, someone said, "Who's dead?" With expecting silver eyes, Ariana Malfoy stood by the entrance of the hospital room, her school-robes covered in dust as she looked firmly at the surprised faces of the adults. All of them looking at her as if Nearly-Headless Nick finally lost his head.

They all stayed in silence, giving each other fleeting stares.

Ariana narrowed her eyes at them. "Who died?"

"…_Ana_," Hermione breathed, her face looking more tortured.

Pulling the on girl's sleeve, Ron studied the dust on the robes for a few seconds. "Floo Powder," he stated, clucking his tongue disapprovingly at the almost-brunette. "Dumbledore let you by, didn't he? Bloody old man, I'm telling you. Complete menace for these kids."

"McGonagall left me a letter," Ariana explained, pulling away from Ron's hold as she walked closer to her mother's bed. "She said you were attacked at the manor and that—_Demi_!" The rest of her explanation was cut short as she let out a shrill scream; her eyes bulging out as she caught sight of her little sister in all those wires.

"Ana! Ana, _no_!" Ginny reached for the girl and pushed her to Hermione, stopping her from reaching out and grabbing Demetria's unconscious body. "Calming droughts would really help right about now, Dean!" She hissed at the Healer.

But almost like it was the day for interruptions, a knock, knock, knock was heard on the hospital room's door.

"—Excuse the interruption," Opening the door with a bit of a light push, a curvy witch came into view; her light green eyes looking at the people in front of her as she moved a jet-black strand away from her face. "The Minister sent me to check in with you, Mister Malfoy."

With an eyebrow raised high, Pansy leaned over to Dean and said, "...well, you can forget about the droughts now, Thomas. You might want to go open another hospital room."

Dean sighed a little, his skin certainly feeling the instant tension that had emerged into the room as the brunette laying on the white-sheet bed pulled on some sort of scowl.

"Who is this?"

"Oh, Mrs. Malfoy," shaking her head to herself, the curvy woman turned to face the brunette with a sympathetic stare. "I'm so sorry. How rude of me. I'm Tanya Rowle. I'm the new secretary for your husband."

Narrowing her brown eyes as the secretary went to go stand by her husband, Hermione collected all of her manners for a slight second. "Hello."

"I know this is the worst moment for greetings, Mrs. Malfoy, but I'm really glad I finally got to meet you. You're quite famous and loved at the Ministry." Putting a hand to her chest, the woman turned away from the brunette to the blonde man next to her. "My deep sympathies, Mister Malfoy. I am very sorry for your loss."

Ariana knitted her eyebrows, her distraught-looking eyes moving away from her little sister to her father as he nodded once at his secretary.

"Report back to the Minister, Miss Rowle," Draco said to the woman, "and tell him that Potter has granted me the lead of this case."

"Malfoy—"

"Oi! You can't do that, ferret! Harry's Head Auror!" Ron hissed, interrupting his best friend before he could finish his outraged sentence. "And if anyone is getting bumped up, it's me! I'm second in the throne!"

With a shaking will to restrain himself from lashing out at Weasley, Draco was pushed back lightly by two soft palms on his chest. "Look, Weasley, I'm leading this case whether Potter or you object! You can play queen another day, but this time I'm calling the shots!"

"Malfoy," Harry frowned at the blonde wizard, "we already discussed this."

And with those hands still on him, still holding him back for the atmosphere's security, Draco said in a hesitant voice, "Potter, this is my matter. You can't leave me out of it."

Looking warily now, almost calculating, Ariana loosened her grip around her mother's body to blink towards her and her narrowing brown-eyes. Seeing that unguarded feeling seeping out through her pupils.

"We need to talk about this, alright. At the Ministry." Sighing in defeat, Harry Potter crossed his arms as Ron frowned even more. (Well, he could always be the Princess.)

"Keep calm, Mister Malfoy," Tanya Rowle stared soothingly at her boss, her palms still on his chest as the man heaved dangerously.

Having enough of the tension in the air, having enough of no one telling her anything—and that bloody woman touching her father, Ariana stood up from her mother's side. "Dad," and as she walked, she shoved the woman away from her father, "Demi is going to be fine, right?" She looked up at him from her lashes, their silver eyes connecting.

With that knot in his throat forming again, Draco looked at his daughter with those glistening tears still sparkling unshed in his eyes. With the guilt of not being able to protect them, with the misery that reflected on his older daughter's face. "Of course, Ariana."

"I don't want to go back to Hogwarts, dad," she whispered in that tiny voice, her arms aching to wrap themselves around her father's waist for support and comfort. "I want to stay here with you, with Mum."

And not bearing that guilt or Ariana's misery, Draco scooped up his thirteen year-old into his arms. Holding her tight like when she used to be a toddler and she needed his comfort on nights thunder roared. "In an hour, Ana," he told her gently as he walked them to Hermione's hospital bed. Exhaustion coming back full speed. "One hour, then you have to go back."

Staring at the woman past her father's shoulders, Ariana glared expertly at Tanya Rowle; their eyes connecting for a millisecond. A tiny fragment of a moment that sufficed to express everything. From the distrust, to the suspicion, and even to the common factor between them—the stare of one destruction form to another. Of two lethal bombs ready to explode and devour everything.

_Bang._

"Drake! Drake!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," grunting to herself, Ginny leaped out of the way as Blaise Zabini came bolting in through the door; jumping onto the foot of the hospital bed before Draco and Ariana could settle themselves on either side of Hermione.

"Why?!" Zabini cried.

"Why are you in your underwear?" Ariana asked her godfather, her anger and hurt mixing with disgust as her the man's bare legs landed on her lap. His purple slippers added more dust to her robes.

Blaise cried harder, gripping the sheets as he buried his face into them as one by one the other adults started clearing out the room; no one wanting to be in the room willingly as Zabini flared with dramatics."_Why_?!"


	8. The Unknown and Brothers

**Chapter Eight**

"Unbelievable!" Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. "Absolutely unbelievable!"

With an irritated gaze, Savanna Zabini sighed tiredly at the redhead strutting and stomping her way along the corridor hall. Watching her mumble curse words as she took her frustration out on the old marbled floor with every loud footstep.

"Unbelievable!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, shut up!" Having had enough, Savanna pushed her back off of the wall she was leaning on, her emerald eyes flashing with a deadly anger she'd inherited from her mother's side as she stopped the redhead from her next vicious stomp. (Because, oh, Cho Chang could be terrifying when rage took over. Someone just ask Blaise Zabini and his many bruises.) "Merlin, you're bloody annoying! You've been shouting for the past twenty minutes, Rose. Just shut it already!"

Taking a quick moment to push the fact aside that the younger girl had just outburst at her, Rose hissed back, "well, excuse me, Sav!" She returned the girl's enraged stare. "It seems to be that I am the only one who is extremely worried about Ariana's whereabouts! She's been missing for an entire day and no one gives a flying Hippogriff! Forgive me if I'm not about to lean against the wall like I'm Rowena Ravenclaw and there's no worries at the moment!"

Still frowning, Savanna aimed a shove at the redheaded Gryffindor; quickly adding a smack to her arm as she thought she heard footsteps coming from down the hall. "We are all worried," she hissed in a sharp whisper, stopping for a second to make sure those footsteps were just an imaginary sound coming from her nervous mind, "but we are not screaming it to the entire castle that Malfoy is missing, are we? So, shut up before you get us caught."

"McGonagall isn't even here," Rose whispered back harshly, throwing a smack of her own at the Ravenclaw. "And, if you want to keep those hands, Sav, I suggest you never hit me again or I'll make them disappear."

"Don't threaten me, you wench!" _Smack_. "I'm not scared of you, Rose Weasley. So, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself if you don't want me to transfigure you into a bloody weasel."

And then, two girls with intense gazes created a standoff. Both girls glaring at each other like if they hoped the other would combust into ashes.

But just as the air was filling up with imaginary angry-smoke injecting out of their ears, "—we got it! We got it!"

Heaving and panting, two boys came racing towards the girls; their chests racing up and down, hair scattered everywhere, robes wrinkled, and faces bright red as they tried catching as much oxygen as they could.

Rose Weasley and Savanna Zabini did not move their vicious stare from one another, their stares still pumping out rage without a halt from the newcomers.

Inhaling—very painfully, if he might say because of an aching bolt on his right side from running for the past seven minutes straight—Fred Weasley narrowed his eyes at the girls. "What's going on here?"

And without getting an answer, only the two witches still standing tall in their standoff, both of the boys groaned loudly as they still sucked in air to satisfy their lungs. And more than oxygen passed through them as irritation also tagged along as the girls remained still, with their hands slapped on their waists and looking as if they were expecting the other to crumble down by the lethal expression in their eyes still.

"Alright, alright!" Shaking his head, Al Potter gripped the arm of his cousin and began pulling her to the classroom door that was in front of them. "Enough. Filch is circling the castle, and James and Louis are trying their hardest to keep him occupied so we don't get caught."

"Roxy and Dominique are keeping Neville distracted and Peyton is confessing to Hannah that he hasn't a clue of anything she has been saying since term started. So, if you please, quit it," Fred added, grabbing Savanna's arm in the process and pulling her to the classroom too. "You two do this every bloody time. I can't even understand how you are friends."

Pulling her arm away from Albus' hold, Rose huffed, "what are you on about. We're the best of friends."

"Best friends who argue. It's what we do," Savanna said too, joining the redheaded girl at her side, both of them grinning at each other as if their argument hadn't happen and their threats weren't said.

Rolling his eyes, Al let his annoyance dissolve as his eyes traveled to the front of the empty classroom. Finding his own best friend sitting on top of the teacher's desk. His eyes focused down on a crumbled piece of parchment in his hands. Never looking up as they entered and disturbed his solitary moment.

Having had found the same thing in the sudden moment of silence, Rose took a step towards the desk. "…Malfoy?"

"I've got the information we were looking for, mate," Al muttered, grabbing Rose's arm again and pulling her back that step. He knew that the best thing was to have her as far away from his best friend as possible. "...Mate, don't you want to know?"

Looking at the wrinkled parchment, Scorpius Malfoy focused his attention even more on it. Trying to count the lines that his sister created when she crumbled the paper into a ball, letting it slip and fall to the ground as she raced away and left it for him to find.

"Scorpius?" Savanna called. "Potter knows what happened."

Feeling awkward, Fred cleared his throat to try and ease the situation as he turned to Al. "Go on now, cousin. What happened?"

Looking between his best friend and everyone else, Al sighed in defeat and decided to proceed. "She broke into the Headmistress' office. She got away by the Floo Network there. None of the paintings want to tell me who let her through, but my guess is pretty much accurate."

"Which is?" Savanna asked.

Al sighed again. " I know Snape had to let her through. He really does like her, that I'm sure he'd allow her any slip." He fidgeted with his fingers a little. " Downside is that he locked the Floo. He is not letting anyone in— but, Dumbledore did let me in about what he knows about the incident."

"And?" Rose murmured, worried and eager. "What'd the old man say?"

"Erm..."Debating with himself whether he should be the one to say something like this, rather than letting Draco or his own father break it to Scorpius, Al decided that he knew his best friend better than anyone. He knew perfectly well that what he would want the most is not to be alone; Scorpius could really drive himself mad with too much space.

"_Al_!" Rose groaned. "What did the old man say?" She repeated, standing in an awkward stance, not knowing whether to fully turn towards the blonde Slytherin or to rejoin Savanna feet away from him.

"Well, Dumbledore's not sure where Ana is exactly, but he told me that McGonagall had sent her Patronous to inform that she was meeting with Grandmum Molly. That both of them were headed to the Ministry to talk to Kingsley. Apparently there's a bigger link to the attacks than what they are going to let the public know. He says that they are reporting it as an attempt of a robbery and that Lucius—"

"Who the bloody hell cares where Ariana is?" Jumping off the desk, Scorpius frowned at his friends. Staring at them as if their presence and the entire conversation they were trying to get into was more of a bore than demanding and necessary. His expression looked sleepy and uninterested than eager and in the edge of a total heart attack. "This is her thing, isn't it? To runaway for show and just to get attention." Fixing his robes, the Slytherin sighed. "It's like the time she ran from the Burrow when she was seven because mum and dad were fighting. She disappeared for two days and almost killed everyone with worry."

Looking aghast from what was coming out of the boy's mouth, Rose snarled, "are you mental?" She sounded outraged. "How the hell are you even going to compare this to that? Your family was attacked, you ruddy git. Ariana left to go and find them. Merlin only knows where she is, and if she managed to find them! Don't you care about that—_of course you don't_!" She responded before Scorpius could get his eye-roll in.

Al tightened his lips into a line, trying to keep his mouth shut and suppress a beautifully colored curse as his own twinge of fury hit him. "She'll be back," was what he settled for, narrowing his eyes at his best friend.

"Of course," Scorpius said casually, yawning slightly as he stuffed the parchment into his pocket, moving his gaze down to the action he was doing so the others couldn't see the glisten that had pushed its way from behind his sockets.

He wasn't a stupid kid, for starters. Scorpius always knew when his disgusting emotions were going to take toll, when they were going to try and peek through his barriers to show the world what he was feeling. But that's the thing, Scorpius was not an idiot . His emotions could not try and attempt to play the commander and overtake him as master. He knew exactly what he felt all the time, and it was up to him to bury that before it got out.

It's how he managed to casually walk away from the scene in the Great Hall. How he let the others handle the mission to find Ariana—because he knew himself. Because he knew the hours that were going to come were going to drive him insane, because he already expected an entire day, possibly more, of her missing presence. He knew that worry was going to pump up through his veins, seep into his skin, and dig its way into his head and reside there.

He tried controlling that unnatural thumping to his heart because he already knew that there was a hole. That there was already damage done , a severe one at that. There was destruction already. The letter left it perfectly clear. And he was already expecting the worst of news.

But what could he do? How should he act when his sister was missing for more than twenty-four hours? How should he display himself when he knew crap of the attack his family had suffered? What was he supposed to say when no one kept him inform and that thump, thump that ticked along with every agonizing second told him that there was going to be torturing moments in days to come? What was he suppose to assume happened to his family? To his mother, to his sister, and to his grandparents if he didn't know how to start off? How was he supposed to look at his friends and show them that he was actually human and felt all that?  
There is no answer, that's the thing.

He can't show and act in any other way than how he normally does. He can't express or say what exactly is going through his head when that has never been him. It was like a lump in his throat, a knot that was made up of more than feeling and pressure. It was a lock. It was a barrier that kept everything that lived in his chest from coming out; so that every time he tried to express himself that knot would stop it. It would make his sobs useless, his crying tearless—all because he's never done it.

So, then, _how _exactly is he supposed to say his heart is tearing with every passing minute?

"…Maybe, if I'm truly lucky, the Ministry will put out that Ariana was kidnapped by those robbers and they left her in her rightful place next to the trolls," Scorpius grinned expertly, yawning once again as he found it safe to look up at his friends. "_What_?"

"You're a foul git, Scorpius Malfoy," Rose glared, her expression looking disgusted with the blonde as he shrugged indifferently at their meeting eyes.

"Always so charming, Rose Weasley," the Slytherin king smirked, sarcasm and rudeness always being the perfect cover for his marshmallow side.

Rose narrowed her brown eyes at him. "I hate you so much."

"Ha," Scorpius huffed, shrugging again at the redhead's comment. "And I actually fancy you with my entire heart, Rosie, darling. I can't picture my life without you."

"You're an idiot!" The Gryffindor practically shrieked. "I don't know how Hermione could've given birth to a slimy spawn like you! How can anyone stand to be around you is beyond my understanding!"

"Stop!" Savanna snapped, pulling Rose away as she charged towards the blonde. "Can't you see the moment is serious? It's not time to act like the bloody married couple at the moment! Save your disgusting, bad-aimed attempts of flirting with one another when Ana is not missing and an attack has not taken place!"

"— Flirting?"

"—Married? To her? Ha!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rose glared, swinging her arms as Fred joined Savanna's hold on her. "You'd be lucky if you ever get a girl half as good as me, Malfoy!"

Trying to calm himself and get his poise back, Scorpius snorted. "Arrogance doesn't suit you, Weasley." His cool expression came back. "And, please, refrain yourself from even thinking that I could ever end up with someone lower than you. You already are far beyond the level of appealing. I can't imagine what comes beneath you."

Rose gasped; her claws retracting as she swung hopelessly at the Slytherin as the others held her back.

Savanna rolled her eyes. "Oh, come off it, Malfoy. There's nothing wrong in liking one of them."

"Excuse me?" Al and Scorpius said together, both their eyebrows risen at the tan-skinned girl.

Again, the Ravenclaw rolled her eyes as she said smoothly, "well, attraction is normal, isn't it? Everyone feels it at certain point."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at her.

She stared at them with an annoyed fashion. "Honestly," she huffed, but explained. "Well, for example, that Erik Krum is too delicious to look at. Louis is pretty good-looking for an one-eighth of a veela. James has that ragged look that can make anyone swoon. And, oh, Lorcan Thomas is cute in that naive way, you know?"

Silence grew once again, this time no one bothering to say anything as the Third Year continued on.

"Of course, then attraction turns out to be more than a psychical pull. You end up fancying the person in a deeper level, which has its ups and downs like anything." Looking back towards Scorpius, Savanna smiled confidently. "But, like I said, there really is nothing wrong in liking one of them. I fancy a Weasley/Potter and I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm not sure if my Grandfather Zabini would be, because you know his ideals and all, but, oi, he makes my heart jittery."

"...What?" Fred breathed, letting Rose fall to the ground as his grip loosened and he stared at the green-eyed witch with a perplexed expression.

_Bang._

"—Oi! Oi!"

"Angelo!" Turning away from the redhead boy's quizzical expression, Savanna hissed at the person that had practically kicked the door open. "You are going to get us caught, idiot."

"I've—" inhale, "got—," exhale, "news!" Inhale.

"Where the hell have you been all this time, Zabini?" Al asked, giving his fellow Slytherin a few seconds to catch his breath as he panted.

"Owlery!" Angelo finally said without heaving, ripping out a parchment from his pocket as he looked around at the people present. "I'd figured someone should have stationed themselves there. Just to see if anyone would care to owl us if there were any news."

Grinning a little as his surprised shown, and Zabini looked insulted, Fred said, "good thinking, mate. What'd you find?"

Glaring, Angelo unfolded the parchment. Clearing his throat with a bit of smugness, the Slytherin Fourth Year took one final inhale. "My son. As you lot must know—"

"—You're hurting me!"

"— Yeah, well you kicked me! Man up!"

"—You pulled my hair!"

"— You _kicked _me!"

Swinging her legs back and forth, a girl was complaining and putting on a bloody good fight with a redheaded man that was carrying her into the classroom; both of them still arguing as the students gasped with ease with their sudden appearance.

And as soon as both of them came into clear view, Rose frowned in a sort of parental way as she said, "dad, did you pull Ana's hair?"

"She kicked me!" Ron Weasley defended himself, carefully lowering the girl in his arms as he the blonde Slytherin ahead began to approach them. "She's wickedly strong for someone her size. I'm surprised she didn't break my leg."

"I wouldn't have kicked you if you would have just told me what that bloody map was, Uncle Ron." Ariana Malfoy spat the last two words with feigned sweetness, letting herself be hugged by Savanna as she tried looking aggressive as the Ravenclaw squealed and clutched her. "I'm expecting a response soon, or I'll let it slip to James and make him find out for me."

Unstirred by Ariana's threat, Ron extended his hand out to his daughter. "Come, Rosie. Walk me to the Head Office," he told her, but then quickly looked up at the rest of the students. "And all of you, go find the rest of the lot and tell them the news. I'm sure the Longbottoms are about fed up with all the rubbish they are being fed."

"We don't know what you are talking about, Uncle Ron," Fred said too innocently, playing the part. "There's Quidditch practice right now."

"Go get James and Louis from the Forbidden Forest, Fred, before Filch has a heart attack," Ron replied all-knowing, snorting at his attempts to distract him. (Double-crossing him? Ron thinks not!) "Zabinis, you two go save Neville from the girls' rubbish. And Rose—"

"I'll get Peyton after I leave you," the girl mumbled to her father.

"...Ana?" As the classroom began to clear out, Scorpius took a hesitant step towards the newly-arrived girl. Staring deep into their matching eyes as his walls grew stronger around himself, not letting them crumble down at the sight of the devilishly innocent expression on his sister's face. He was not about to let her see the act of liberation her presence caused and meant to him.

Locking their silvery eyes, Ariana crossed her arms over her chest. Protecting her own walls of defense against the Slytherin in front of her. "St. Mungos," she whispered to her brother, her words soft as she didn't find it in herself to snap at him. He knew nothing after all, and he deserved the news to be broken to him more carefully than how she stumbled upon it. She would never—even if she couldn't let herself admit it—cause him that kind of pain.

"And?" Scorpius asked, tall and hard.

Ariana's eyes tried to fight the glistening battle. "Demetria's in a coma," she replied in a heartbreaking voice. "Mister Thomas is not sure what is going to happen to her." She swallowed her feelings with grand effort. "G-Grandfather is…He…"

"What?" Scorpius pressed, trying not to look desperate and concerned on the glistening of tears swimming in his sister's eyes. "What, Ariana?"

"Grandfather's dead," and she tried not to let that tear out.

Feeling like an invisible force was trying to push him down to his knees, Scorpius blinked blankly at his sister with nothing more. "Goodnight, beast."

Almost as if she was going to vomit up her feelings, Ariana kept her mouth close for fear of the mess she would create if she let her emotions drip from her mouth. She drowned them inside her lips, just giving her brother another quick glimpse as she walked broken-heartedly away from him, and past the only person that stayed behind.

"…Suppose you don't actually have the best luck out there, eh, mate?" Closing the door after the runaway exited the room, Albus Potter lowered himself onto the bench of a desk nearest to the door. "She wasn't with the trolls as you hoped."

"..Pity," Malfoy said, his legs finally giving up.

And allowing himself to fall weakly to the floor, he brought up his knees to his chest as he buried his handsome face into kneecaps. The knot in his throat burning with excruciating pain that he couldn't lash out. With those flaming feelings that were going to forever be stuck.

Inhaling a shaky breath, Al sat patiently on the furthest end of the room. Letting his best friend break himself into a silent mess, secretly giving him his entire support and companionship; with an unheard vow that he was never going to let his almost-brother suffer in loneliness.


	9. For the Guilty and the Murdered

**Chapter Nine**

Stopping for a second to catch her breath, a brunette grasped the doorframe of the room she was about to enter. She inhaled deeply, her body filling with a pressure that was starting to become a part of her; an overwhelming weight that started in her chest and that threatened to push her down to the floor as it traveled down to the rest of her body.

"Hermione?" A hand was placed on the brunette's shoulder, adding to the weight she was already trying to make fade.

Giving herself a fraction of a second, Hermione Malfoy's ears perked up at the sound of new footsteps across her wooden floor—footsteps coming towards her. "I had Ginny fix up the extra room for you," turning herself around, that pained expression erasing from her face as she looked at the two women in her hallway like nothing was wrong, "I would've done it myself, but I'm afraid I was a bit too preoccupied at the hospital. It might not be the same as your old room, but you'll find that all of your necessities are there."

Entering the room, following the footsteps of the two dark-haired witches, a pair of intense blue eyes were surrounded by light. The walls of the room were painted a pearly color, matching the marbled floor and the white-sheets on the bed. And behind her dark-oak bed, a grand window gave even more light into the room. It overflowed the place with such illuminating light that those eyes were momentarily distracted by the view outside of the window.

"It's beautiful, Hermione," blinking away from the grand garden that was conjured to be the scene of her new bedroom, Narcissa Malfoy stared into her daughter-in-law's eyes. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I assured you that none of this was necessary."

"Of course it was necessary," Hermione said with a strained voice, her brown eyes burning with every flicker of Narcissa's blue. "I wasn't going to let you stay in any shabby place, Narcissa."

"—Oi," cutting across the soft spoken words of the brunette, Pansy Weasley looked away from the four large picture-frames that decorated the left wall of Mrs. Malfoy's bedroom. "What is that suppose to mean? My house is not shabby, Hermione. I've spent a good amount of my youthful years arranging that house into its impeccable state, alright?"

Trying not to fight with her old classmate, Hermione spoke softly still. "I'm just saying, Pansy, that Narcissa is better off here." But Pansy looked unconvinced still. "She doesn't have to stay with you or Ron. Nor by herself somewhere until the Malfoy Manor gets repaired. She has to stay here, with her family." Looking back towards the elder blonde woman, Hermione inhaled once more to try and ease that pressuring weight. "This is your home, Narcissa. I hope you know that...I-I...It's the least I could do."

"_Why_?" Narcissa asked, raising her eyebrow at the brunette as Pansy turned back to the picture-frames; walking away from them as she pretended to be oblivious to what was going to come next. "Because you feel guilty?" Mrs. Malfoy took a step towards her, hearing the other woman hum herself a tune as she tried not to pay attention. "You think you owe me something, Hermione? Because of what happened? You think I'm going to demand something from you now that Lucius is gone?"

Hermione shut her eyes, squeezing them tight as she clenched her teeth and that pressure she was trying to hide would explode out. "Don't," she said roughly. "Please, Narcissa."

"Your guilt, Hermione, is going to ruin the relationship we have established all these years," Mrs. Malfoy said honestly, her arms crossing over her emerald coat. "You've been just like a daughter to me since you married my son. You have given me three beautiful grandchildren and given me so much happiness by forming a complete family. Do not take that away from me by distancing yourself now, understood?"

"Mrs. Malfoy—"

"No, listen," the pureblood woman snapped, her eyes hardening as she frowned at the brunette. "Don't you think I know where this is going? You haven't been able to snap away from the trance you've been in for the past two weeks. Not even for the funeral."

"But—"

"Lucius acted on his own will, Hermione," Narcissa interjected again. " And if he chose to put his life on the line for you, then respect that. He wasn't forced to take the spell that took him away from me, nor am I going to hold you responsible for it."

Blinking away tears that showed her strength about to crumble, Hermione placed all her effort to keep staring into the eyes of her mother-in-law. "...If I could have reacted, if I could have helped...you wouldn't have been in this situation. We wouldn't have had the need to bury your husband."

"The robbery was not your fault, Hermione," replying with a lower tone, the blonde woman tried to keep her own tears under control. "Harry has already explained to us about the attack. The thieves were plotting to steal from us for months before they did break in. How are we supposed to know if….if Lucius was meant to live? What if they had attacked in your absence, hmm? It would have been more probable that both Lucius and I would've been dead."

And just as Hermione cringed at that thought, just as Pansy started humming louder, someone appeared at the doorway of the guest room wit an, "_ehem_." But as they didn't turn, Draco cleared his throat louder; trying to distract them away from that lie he had Potter feed them.

And when his mother, wife, and friend turned towards him, Draco said as convincingly and soothingly as he could, "my mother's right, Hermione. Whatever happened during the robbery was not your fault. My father's gone now, and there's no going back."

Nodding once at her son's input, Narcissa took a deep inhale. "Be thankful that you've got the rest of your life to see your children grow," she whispered to both of them; a teary smile appearing on her pale face as she locked eyes with her son. "Just as Lucius and I both got to see our son grow."

Keeping on the blank expression that he had to master as an Auror, Draco tried to return the smile to his mother. His head screaming to contradict her, to tell her that perhaps his wife was running out of time; that his father was most likely accidentally murdered because of her. "I'm heading down to the Ministry. I've got a few archives to check, but I'll be back before dinner."

"Archives?" Pansy asked, making herself visible again as the awkward moment between the two Malfoy women ended. "Ron is supposedly doing archive work as well, Draco. Why are two top Aurors filing papers?"

Looking in irritation at his friend, Draco rolled his eyes. "Worried about something, Pansy?"

"_Yes_," Pansy retorted, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked to the blonde. "Ron is keeping something from me and I want to know what it is. He's been awfully quiet lately, Malfoy, and his appetite decreasing by the time he gets home."

"Right." Draco furrowed his brows, a bit of gratitude for the Weasel appearing as he managed to keep the information of the case hidden from his nosy wife. "Well, Pans, since Potter couldn't find a place to put Teddy in at the office, he's gone back to filing the archives. And like always, they're an entire mess. And as the main Aurors, your little man and I are handling our own paperwork."

"And the lack of hunger?" Pansy asked, partially satisfied with his response. "If Ron is eating rubbish again, Draco, you better tell me. I have been keeping him on a diet and I'll hex him if he is stuffing his face behind my back again."

Not bothering to tell Pansy that her husband was indeed stuffing his face with sweets and packed-lunch old Mrs. Weasley sends him, Draco went to his wife. Walking towards her, a hand out to grab hers into his, but he turned to address his mother. "Mother, make sure Hermione gets some rest, please. She hasn't been sleeping well these past weeks and if she continues it she will be back at the hospital."

The brunette frowned slightly at her husband. "I've got things to do, Draco. And besides, you cannot have your mother look after me. I am a grown—"

"Of course, my son," Narcissa cut in, smirking lightly as Pansy laughed mockingly at Hermione's deeper frown. "Don't worry."

Bringing her knuckles to his mouth, Draco pressed his lips onto the skin of his wife's hand. "I'll be back," he assured her as he sent a profound look to enter her fatigued eyes.

And with a _crack_, he vanished from his muggle home with a needing hope that his wife remained in the dark as long as possible.

**X**

"We've got to come clean about this, Malfoy!" Digging the underside of his fist deeper onto the glass table, a redheaded man glared at the blonde sitting across from him. "Don't you get it?! This isn't an easy matter to keep hidden forever. We've got to tell them the truth."

"Ron," sighing to himself, Harry Potter—who was sitting on the chair next to the redhead—rubbed his temples in frustration. "We've gone over this, mate. We can't tell the public of the case Kingsley handed us. It's against Auror codes to reveal details of any case to any civilians. You know that."

Banging his fist once again on the desk, Ron retorted, "I'm trying to protect them, Harry." He glared at his best friend too. "I want to be able to tell them to take precautions, to keep themselves safe. I'm not going to hand them the case files and have them solve the mystery for us."

"I've already told you, Weasley," Draco finally spoke, his expression cool and undefined, "if you want to tell Pansy to take precaution, then do so. No one is stopping you from that, but you know you are not allowed to tell my wife about this. She is my responsibility, and I will take care of her."

"Take care of her?" Ron snorted, his face turning to a red that matched his hair. "What exactly does that even mean to you, Malfoy? 'Mione is losing her mind with grief and guilt at the moment. Your child is an a comatose state without a chance of ever waking up and your father is dead! If you just bloody-well tell her what's going on she'll be able to understand what happened!"

And in less than a second, Harry Potter pulled out his wand and directed it at his best friend. "_Protego_!" Causing a clear bubble to appear in front of Ron, not realizing for a moment that the blonde had a lethal glare on his face and his own wand had been already pointed onto his face before he finished his last sentence.

Startled by the scene, the redhead lifted himself off of his chair. Backing away from the two men as he continued to frown, looking furiously at the blonde. "This is a matter of life and death, Malfoy. People are constantly dying! And I don't want to go home one day and find out that my wife has been killed because I never gave her a chance to protect herself!"

"_Ron_!" Harry hissed, tightening the shield charm at his best friend.

"Whoever is behind these attacks are killing D.A. members and I am one of them! I don't want Pansy to be involved with this because of me," Auror Weasley continued, his expression falling as his own fear became dominant on his face as the blonde man lowered his wand. "...Pansy was on the Death Eaters side in those times. You would think she's safe from whoever is causing all of this mess, but she isn't. That Marriage Law fifteen years ago put her in danger because she's my wife now. And if they are coming for me, they won't hesitate to go over her to do so." He no longer glared at Malfoy, but gave him an almost pleading look; searching for some kind of understanding of his fear. "Your father died due to that reason, Malfoy. He died because they were after Hermione, not him."

The tension in Auror Malfoy's office became thick. A deep pull that was preventing the three men to breathe easily, to focus their brains and study the files that had brought them into that office in the first place. All of them were aware of the situation, had gone over every possible detail and explanation on their own, knew there was danger, and the limited amount of time they had to get rid of it.

The list of the dead had been given to them by the attacker of Malfoy Manor who'd survived. A list of the most recent, of the ones he only participated in; not giving them any further insight to the names that will appear on the list as he remained silent on his way to Azkaban.

_Avery—Death Eater; escaped imprisonment after the war and fled to the states. _

_ Sean James and family—Wizard family found murdered in the States._

_ Anthony Goldstein—Former D.A. member._

_ Rosemary Goldstein—Muggle wife of Anthony Goldstein_

_ Kevin Goldstein—Ten year-old son to Anthony Goldstein_

_ Jugson—Death Eater; murdered in Bulgaria three months after his release from Azkaban._

_Rodolphus Lestrange—Death Eater; escaped imprisonment after the war._

_ Michelle Jones—Pureblood; Murdered after leaving a graveyard in Russia._

_ Zacharias Smith—Former D.A. member._

_ Julia Smith—Wife of Zacharias Smith; Halfblood. (Found dead hours after her husband.)_

_ Zoë Smith—Fifteen Year-old daughter of Zacharias Smith. (Tortured and died in muggle hospital.)_

_ Dedalus Diggle—Former Order of the Phoenix member; father of Julia Smith._

_ Lucius Malfoy—Death Eater._

"Excuse me, Mister Malfoy." Opening the door of the office, Tanya Rowle smiled brightly at the men that turned to face her. "Sorry for the interruption," she added, clearly seeing that she'd stumbled in at a bad moment.

"It's alright, Tanya," Harry was the one who answered, clearing his throat as he removed the charm from Ron and stuffed his wand back into his pocket. "Auror Weasley and I were just heading back to our offices. Merlin knows we've got our own archives to sort out. Teddy's not quite the one for filing."

Still keeping her smile stretched on her pink lips, Tanya flipped open the folder she had in her hands, the white-feather of her quill rising in the air on its own. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with your son about his duties the other day, Mister Potter—"

"Because Teddy shouted like a kid throwing a tantrum that the entire Ministry heard," Harry muttered in, chuckling awkwardly as he thought back to three days ago when he had Teddy play his assistant for an hour. (Oh, the mess he had to clean up. His owl was never going to be the same after Teddy's feedings.)

"Exactly," the secretary laughed lightly and sweetly. "So I've taken the liberty of finding a few candidates to assist you, Mister Potter." Tanya finished, pulling out a sheet of parchment and handing it to the Chosen One. "The first two are fairly new at this, but I do believe they are more qualified than most."

Harry asked, "like?"

"There is Alicia Jordan and Alyssa Wood."

"Wood?" Harry raised his eyebrow as he stared down at the list. "Isn't this Katie Bell and Oliver Wood's daughter?" He looked up at Ron, who was already back to being pale-faced and somewhat calm.

Peering at the list, Ron nodded once. "Yeah, mate. And the other is Lee's daughter." He huffed a little himself. "But that's weird, though. George said Lee was in Canada for the past year and was not planning on returning. I wonder what they're doing back, then. He wouldn't have let his daughter come alone to London."

Nodding once at the statement, Harry looked back at Malfoy's secretary. "Thank you, Tanya. You've done me the greatest favor, I assure you."

"I've also found a spot for Trainee Lupin, Mister Potter. While he's not occupied with his training, of course," the dark-haired witch continued, a triumphant glaze taking over her eyes. "There's records of the former and present prisoners in Azkaban that need to be updated. There is no need for filing, just simply checking them through and making sure all the papers are there. Besides, I am sure he'd be interested with that. I've heard he's been trying to peek into those archives for a few months now."

Ron gaped, slightly scowling as the Boy-Who-lived pocketed the list with a grander smile on his face that pushed up his glasses. "That's not fair. I have a bloody awful secretary! How come you and Malfoy get qualified ones?"

"Lavender is not that bad, Ron," Harry commented, smirking at the redhead. "She's always bringing you coffee when you ask for it and hasn't screwed up your cases in these past five months."

"She's my ex-girlfriend! The coffee is not that great and her attitude still scares me," the redhead hissed, giving one last look at Malfoy as he headed towards the door. "I only keep her around because Seamus asked."

"And because you owe him a thousand galleons."

Ron snorted. "Well, obviously. Does it look like I give a damn about her sudden damn passion of becoming a working woman after years of being a homemaker?" (Ah, for the memory of when he tried sacking her once. He was sure she had been ready to kill him with her quill and note-pad.)

Giving the blonde wizard a short goodbye, Harry followed his brother-in-law towards the door. "Well, at least she doesn't tell Pansy about your lunches with your mother and the pasties you have delivered from Honeydukes."

"Why do I get to be on a diet?" The redhead was heard huffing. "I look bloody good, don't I?"

And just as the glass door of his office closed, Draco said, "you'll get used to the bickering," as he settled himself comfortably on his chair. "Although, I warn you, it's a lot more annoying when Potter's wife visits the Ministry. Apparently he's married with both of them and has to please them or else he suffers the consequences."

"Charming," Tanya whispered, looking down at her folder filled with papers. "Mister Potter is so family oriented, isn't he? The other workers are in love with his kids. Such the perfect family, they say."

Draco narrowed his eyes at the witch, carefully watching her as she lowered herself on one of the chairs in front of him.

"And yours, Mister Malfoy, they _swoon _at yours." Illuminating green eyes blinked up towards Draco's, overpowering his silver in a sudden move. "….I do hope your daughter gets better. Mrs. Finnegan has a picture of her on her desk. Demetria is so enchanting."

Knowing exactly what picture on Lavender's desk she was referring to, Draco cleared his throat as he tried to make his head clear out the image of his daughter in tubes and unresponsive to the Healers treatment. (That image was more of an impact than the one of his daughter dressed as a bunny for her first muggle Halloween experience on Lavender's desk.) "Did you send Mrs. Tonks the information of the Gringotts vault I've opened for her?"

"I owled it to her yesterday morning, Mister Malfoy," the secretary said, pulling out a squared parchment from her folder. "This is her response to it. She was quite reluctant to take it, but she has sent word that she will be using it for Trainee Lupin's inheritance."

Rolling his eyes as he caught sight of 'Draco, how dare you take pity upon me?' in his Aunt Andromeda's writing on the parchment. "Well, it is her money. She is allowed to do with it as she wishes. It's the account for the Black family, it goes back centuries and rightfully it's hers."

"If you keep reading on, sir, Mrs. Tonks gives you her answer for the first owl you had me sent her a week ago."

'There is nothing safer than Grimmauld Place.' Draco snorted at his aunt's words, thinking back to the story his wife told him about the Death Eater that managed to find his way in while they were on the run decades ago.

Covering a giggle at his reaction, Tanya stretched herself forward and pointed a quill to the next paragraph. "She answers your request after explaining about her ancestors home."

"How do you know about that?" Draco asked, skimming over the 'I will oblige you upon your request, nephew. But I shall choose the first option instead of the second.'

The woman looked a little perplexed. "I'm sorry, sir. Knew about what?"

"Grimmauld Place, our ancestors home?"

"Mister Potter isn't the only famous wizard in our history, Mister Malfoy," Tanya looked deeper in the eyes of her boss. "How can one not know about the Blacks? Or the Malfoys for that matter? You all go down in history. Some for greater accomplishments than others."

Sensing the woman too close, to where the faint aroma of vanilla invaded his smell, Draco kept the gaze the woman had on him. He felt his stare narrow, almost grow frozen as he locked eyes with her. He could feel his body grow rigid, almost as if he was losing the ability to move at his freewill.

But as quick as that overwhelming feeling came, it left. Letting Malfoy clear his throat, blink his eyes, and push his back against his grand chair; leaving him feeling slightly dazed. "Those history books tend to exaggerate, Miss Rowle," he spoke, folding the letter of his aunt and tucking it into one of the drawers of his desk. "I assure you I haven't done anything extraordinary to earn those accomplishments they swear I have. Other than marrying my wife, of course. The rest is useless," he told her as he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.

Tanya smiled again, lowering herself back to her chair. "I've organized the archives you gave me to file, Mister Malfoy. They are in the vault now and I'll be more than happy to finish arranging the ones you have now. I know that—" She stopped, her almost-transparent eyes widening a bit.

Following the gaze of the woman at her sudden pause, Draco pushed his sleeves back down in an instant. "I thought those history books said it all?" Was his response, his expression growing blank.

"I...erm…" The secretary cleared her throat, opening her folder once more and trying to erase her surprise. "I am sorry, Mister Malfoy. I just never seen...The Dark Mark is more intimidating in the flesh than how it looks in books and old Prophet clippings." She inhaled, her rosy cheeks becoming even more pink as her boss patted the arm that held the mark of his mistakes. "You received an owl from a Mister Gregory Goyle today."

"Goyle?" Malfoy knitted his eyebrows, reaching for the next piece of parchment the witch handed him. "What does he say?"

"That came as personal mail, Mister Malfoy. I'm not allowed or authorized to open that," Tanya explained, looking intrigued at the letter as the blonde looked away from her. "I take it you haven't heard of Mister Goyle for a while, then?"

_Bang._

"—Draco!"

Before Malfoy could answer his secretary, Teddy Lupin came racing into his office as his door crashed against its hinges after his spell busted it open. "Teddy?"

"Hurry! Hurry!" The blue-haired trainee called. "There's been an attack in London!" Teddy shouted, his face looked stricken with horror as the blonde Auror bolted from his seat, slapping on his robes as his secretary followed after him. "Outskirts of Diagon Alley. Dad and Ron apparated a minute ago!"

"Wand at the ready, Ted!" Draco hissed, pulling out his wand. "The moment you touch the floor, cast a shielding spell. You don't know what we are up against!"

_ Crack. Crack._

And as the Auror and trainee disapparated away, Tanya Rowle sighed deeply as she closed her work-folder. "Well, I wonder what Mrs. Finnegan is doing right about now," she muttered to herself, a glint burning in her eyes as she walked out of the office; her wand waving behind her back as the door began to close slowly at her exit.


	10. Of Things Better Left Unknown

**Chapter Ten**

"You're a down right git, Potter!"

Smirking at the threatening glare that was sent ruthlessly towards him, James Sirius Potter bowed slightly at the girl in front of him. Looking mighty as the girl leaked venom through her stare. "Always here to serve you, love."

"Heartless," clucking his tongue as a brunette Hufflepuff stormed away furiously, tears accumulating in her eyes, Fred Weasley II turned to his cousin. "You could have been nicer than that, mate."

James snorted, watching the figure of his two-week fling storm away past the gates that exited the greenhouse area. "Nice?" He huffed, adjusting his robes as the fall wind brushed by them. He gave her one last final glance, remembering their very good times, and proceeded to walk further into the gardens. "I was extremely polite to the girl. She knew that we were not exclusive."

"A little more than, 'our time's up. Lovely to have met you,'—_after _snogging her behind the trees—could've done the trick, James." Fred added, frowning slightly at his cousin as he shrugged it off. "She was actually really nice, mate. She could have made a decent girlfriend for you...If you learned how to settle down, that is."

"Settle down?" The dark-haired Fifth Year snorted again, throwing the redhead a look as if he was losing his marbles. "What am I, middle-aged? I've got my perspectives perfectly clear, mate. And, believe me, that it's not to find a candidate to take home to meet my mummy."

Grabbing onto one of James' arms, halting him from continuing his swaggered stroll like if he was the king of the Gryffindors, Fred said, "I'm not telling you to have them meet Aunt Ginny. Just for you to stop breaking hearts as you go along." He frowned a little, looking actually very serious. "Look, James...I know this might seem a bit odd coming from me and all, but if you push it, karma will get you. One day you're going to find a girl you truly fancy and she is going to break your heart. Just like you've done to others."

Noticing the worried expression on Fred's freckly face, James tried not to frown at his cousin for talking to him about feelings and the muggle-karma concept. So instead he settled for a sigh. A little heave of air to let his cousin, and best friend, know that he got the hint. "As much as I don't think that is ever going to happen, Freds, I'll keep your advice…" He trailed off, his eyes catching sight of a pretty witch inside an empty greenhouse.

"James?" Fred raised his eyebrow.

"Tell you what, mate, that was very good advice," James replied quickly, clearing his throat and adjusting his robes once more. "See you later, yeah?"

Not bothering to reply, Fred watched his cousin strut forward, his eyes rolling to himself as he noticed the familiar girl inside of that glass classroom. Her beautiful face peering down at the plants as she showered them with a smile, her wand leaking out water to keep them strong and alive.

"—_Boo_!"

"Boo?" The girl repeated, not jumping as she felt a presence next to her; her gaze distracted from the plants she was attending to as they looked at a redhead march away from the outside. "When has that ever worked, Potter?"

"Not since you were about four." Twirling the girl around, carefully pulling on her arm, James' brown eyes were washed over by a stormy color. Their intensity metallic and cool into his warm ones. "I had to hug you until you stopped crying, remember? Good, good times."

Ariana Malfoy narrowed her eyes, examining the eldest of the Potter children as he smiled smoothly at her. "As I recall, Potter, you were covering my mouth and trying to bribe me so I wouldn't tell your daddy you threw me at the floor."

"Eh," he shrugged, "it was all welcoming, still."

"Is there something you wanted?" Ariana asked, her patience wearing thin as she tried pulling his clutch away from her. "I was a bit busy, James."

Trying not to smirk, the dark-haired Gryffindor slowly traced his fingers down her arms, past the sleeve of her robe and onto her own hand; his fingers wrapping around hers. "I just wanted to know how you are. You've been really silent for the past days. I know it's due to the funeral, but I just wanted to make sure you didn't need anything. I don't like seeing you sad, Ana."

Almost as if it was automatic, a tug seared into her heart. "...I'm fine," she whispered, the feel of his warm fingers giving her a peek at a cure to the failing heartstrings in her system. "…I miss him quite a lot," she added too; James gave her a little confused expression. "He was always distant, I know, but his eyes...they always shone when I was around...He was always so happy to see me...I'd had a letter from him every morning. And now...his owl doesn't come." She frowned, a pressure building behind her throat. And because of that emotion that didn't go well with her, she ripped her hand away from James in a flash of anger. "And it won't."

"Listen, Ana," James whispered softly, reaching for her as she tried to hide herself by looking towards the plants again, "my dad told me once that the ones we love never truly leave us." He grabbed her face, his palms lightly on either sides of her cheeks. He noticed that the Third Year was trying not to let her silvery eyes leak those tears, the sign of weakness that no Malfoy let others see. "…And you've got to believe that."

The almost-brunette stared at her fellow house-mate. The plead in his face for her to believe what he just said shone brightly. He wanted her to be content with the idea that her grandfather passed away—not in a cruel way, but that he was always going to be present. "...Thanks," she muttered. Her hands reaching up to his, her fingers hooking onto his palms for support as she tried to contain those emotions she didn't know how to deal with.

"You've got a great heart, Ana," James said, caressing her left cheek with his finger. His eyes sparkling as he noticed her beauty.

And without a warning, or knowing how exactly he was going to play this off after, he leaned forward. His lips parted as he heard her intake of breath, his eyes closing as a reflex as soon as his forehead pressed against hers. His heart gave a bolt, her scent so close to him.

"—No way, mate, it was wickedly funny!"

"—Yeah, we deserved that detention from Neville."

And just before James could push that bolt far, before his lips closed the tiny centimeter that was left, the greenhouse gained three unexpected visitors.

Almost like a hex was thrown at him, blindsiding him completely, Scorpius watched as James Potter carefully took a step back from his sister. A revolting taste appearing at the end of his tongue as he turned to her, watching her remain on her spot, looking flushed rather than guilty or bewitched. (Oh, how he hoped she was bewitched.)

The middle Slytherin among the three glared, his teeth grinding together in deadly silence as he could already see the grin threatening to appear on his brother's face. Almost as if they stumbled upon him creating the most powerful spell since Merlin himself. He knew James, he knew the lack of seriousness this matter meant. And if they would have been a second late—he swallowed, trying not to let himself think it.

"…Erm," and as the last of the trio, Angelo rose his eyebrow. Clearing his throat as he felt the tension rise up higher than when his father swaggers out of his bedroom looking smug, sweaty and tousled after sighing contently as he passes his children. (Oh, how he hates being home for the holidays sometimes.) "Lovely day to be at the gardens, eh? Bit of fresh air does us well."

"Surprised you are out in the vegetation," Scorpius spoke, taking a couple of steps towards the couple as his sister's blush faded. "Dawn and Lily are feeding the animals raw meat in the forest, you wouldn't want to miss it, beast."

Shaking her head once with a crooked grin on her pale face, Ariana turned to her brother. Her mind steered away from the Potters, not bothering to even attempt to look at either of them as she walked towards the blonde Slytherin; her wand out as she approached closer.

With a scowl that could be said he learned from his grandfather, Scorpius' boiling blood rushed in his veins as his little sister pointed her wand-tip at him. That stupid grin still on her face. "Ana, Ana," he clucked his tongue, waiting.

Raising it up an inch, Ariana smirked as she settled on swinging it. Smacking her brother with it at the right side of his face. A little tap of her wand, and she walked away. Leaving the Slytherins and the Gryffindor to have the unavoidable conversation she was not about to be a part of.

"Detention, huh?" James asked, coughing as he turned to his brother and his friends. "And from Neville? My, you three have been reckless lately."

"What are you doing, James?" Al asked, his glare still on his face.

And because of that fire burning in his brother's emerald eyes, James grinned more grandly than ever. "Just being my charming self, little Albus."

"She's thirteen, mate," Angelo cut across, putting a palm on Al's arm, hoping he wouldn't launch himself forward. "Don't you think there's an age limit to your broomstick ride of fun?"

Scorpius exhaled, his hands secretly clutching into fists.

"Ariana is unlike other Third Years, mate. We all know that," the Gryffindor commented casually, yawning lightly as he looked out the walls of the greenhouse and noticed the march of students hurrying along. "Sort of like your sister, Zabini. Savanna is rather amazing in her own special way."

"Don't do anything you'll regret, Potter." Scorpius said, his left fist finding its way into his pocket; a smirk appearing on his face as his expression became cool and composed. "My sister, well, how to put it..."He paused, his silvery eyes becoming mocking as Al and Zabini turned to him. "She's not something anyone wants to mess with."

Al swallowed, feeling uncomfortable.

"Feeling protective, Malfoy?" James questioned, the two top rivals of competing for the title of 'Hogwarts King' staring at each other unmoved by the motive behind their smirks. "Don't you worry, I'll take good care of her if that's the case."

"Wait," Malfoy raised his eyebrow. "You think I care about Ana?" He chuckled, lowering himself on one of the stools near the plants. "My concern was merely for you, Potter. If you wish to attract rabies from the beast, then that is on you. I was just trying to give you a heads up."

"I think I can handle a bite or two from Ana," the eldest of the Potters said smoothly, throwing a wink at his little brother that went unnoticed by Malfoy as he looked down for a millisecond. "Good luck with your detention, mates," he added, walking past the trio of Slytherins with a glorious glow to his face.

** X**

There she was—that girl every bloke in the castle seemed to fantasize about. She was at the furthest end of the empty classroom, looking through a stack of papers near the teacher's desk. Her green eyes scanning the parchment with great boredom; her dark hair pulled back into a messy bun as she worked as rapidly as she could to find what she was looking for.

He knew it was wrong, just letting her look through the assignments of others so she knew exactly what she needed to do. It wasn't technically cheating, though. He knew she wasn't about to copy, McGonagall knew how to spot them quicker than a rat amongst bunnies, and no one was that daft to attempt to. She was just trying to get an idea of what to do. ( A well deserved clue, he might add. It wasn't her fault that she ended up sick for three days.)

_Slap. _

"Pining over a Slytherin, are you?"

Snapping away from the object of his fascination, Louis Weasley turned to face a small, redheaded boy. His blue eyes glaring furiously at the boy as the students behind him chuckled from the smack upside the head he had received. "I'm not pining, Peyton. And smack me again, cousin, and Aunt Pansy will find less of a boy next time she sees you."

"Then what do you call what you're doing, mate?" Dawn Thomas asked, her own majestic blue eyes gleaming with curiosity as Lily Potter and Peyton Weasley took a seat next to their Sixth Year cousin. Both of them laughing at his mindless threat. "Just watching the scenery?"

"Piss off, D," Louis huffed, turning back to the Slytherin witch ahead. "I was just waiting for Malfoy and Al."

"_Oooh_!" Lily grinned, wiggling her fingers for a bit of show. "What do my brother and the git of his friend got up their sleeves now, eh?"

"Again, piss off," the blonde Weasley repeated, his eyes growing wide as the girl dropped a few papers and she reached down to get them. (All hail the keeper of skirts!) "Don't you three little lads have somewhere to be? Like drinking warm milk with house-elves? Or skipping down a jolly hill?"

"Actually, we don't. And we're so bored," Dawn sighed, walking towards the front of the desk where the Weasley/Potter three were sitting. "We took a trip to the Forbidden Forest but the unicorns were breeding and Peyton was getting whiny so we decided to leave. Now we've got nothing to do. Can't you see the horror?"

But not really paying attention, Louis hissed an, "out! Out of the way!" He was trying to look past the Second Year's head as the witch took a longer second to reach for the paper that flew far underneath the desk. "Go find your thickheaded brothers, Dawn! I'm sure the loony-twins have something to keep their monster-of-a-sister entertained."

Dawn glared.

"Don't be rude, Louis," Lily cut in, frowning at her cousin. "Lysander and Lorcan have been nothing but nice to you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. My apologies," the Gryffindor responded blankly, his lips tugging into a smile as the girl shimmied her way over the desk to adjust the pile of essays back into their original place. "—Oh! Did you see that? Merlin! I saw purple knickers!" Stopping as the two twelve year-old girls looked at him with disgust and Peyton looked like he still was too young to discover the fascination that is the undergarments of alluring witches, Louis snorted. "Kids."

But before awkward tension could fly into the room, the door of the classroom banged opened.  
"—I don't see why you two ruddy idiots had to pull me away like that!" Stomping her way into the Transfiguration classroom, Rose Weasley shoved Al and Scorpius a step back as they followed her pursuit. Her anger flashing and burning in dangerous levels; levels of fury that burned as intense as her hair. "What gives you the bloody right to even—"

"Shut up, Weasley," Malfoy retorted, rolling his eyes as he walked past her. A headache rushing to him as the girl's shrill voice still echoed inside the walls of his head. "No one pulled you away. You started following us."

Rose glared roughly, her nostrils flaring as she tried controlling her breathing. "Be that as it may, Malfoy, you two owe Damien an apology."

"An apology?" Al scoffed, throwing his cousin an are-you-mental look. "We do not apologize to a McLaggen. _Ever_."

With a heart pounding inside his chest, Louis choked on the oxygen passing down his throat as the witch from ahead appeared next to him. Her smell of lavender so close; just separated a few inches from where he sat.

"Excuse me, Al."

And just like Louis had reacted—completely shocked and stunned—Al turned flush red as he turned to face the dazzling witch; his mouthing giving out a stupid smile as she blinked politely at him. "Y-Yeah. Erm, sorry, Lana. Bit distracted."

Gracing the lives of the two hormonal boys slobbering over her, Lana McLaggen smiled brightly at the group staring up at her. "Beautiful day to be outside, don't you think?"

"There's a storm practically happening outside, McLaggen," Rose cut in, her arms crossing over her chest as the dark-haired witch kept that sickly sweet smile. (Please. No one could be that nice, and Rose knew it. She was the nicest girl in the school, and yet, she had the fury to kill an entire village if she was having a bad day.) "Care to check the weather once in a while? Maybe that way you'll spare yourself from future sickness."

Lana shrugged, not really paying attention to the indirect statement of the redhead. "While others bask themselves in the sun, Rose, I prefer the cold. There is nothing like a stroll in the rain to clear your mind."

"—I like walks in the rain!" Louis practically shouted, raising his arm in the air and slightly startling the Slytherin witch.

"Erm..."Feeling confused and uncomfortable, Lana turned away from the one-eighth veela. "Thanks for giving me the chance to look over your essay, Scorpius," the girl said, her emerald eyes turning towards her blonde house-mate as he remained silent. The look of annoyance dominant on his gorgeous face that Lana couldn't help but to smile at it. She appreciated the intensity that could develop in his sharp features instead of the usual handsome expression. "It's going to help loads."

"That's cheating," Rose interjected, tossing Malfoy an accusing stare. "McGonagall will fail you the entire year if she knows you let McLaggen cheat off your essays."

Eying Rose like she was the infection of the worst disease, Scorpius said, "you seem to be forgetting who my mother is, Weasley." He frowned more at her, her voice still poking at his head and threatening that headache. "I did not let Lana cheat. I allowed her to look over my essay and turn in her part of the report that was missing. It was a partner project after all and she was sick."

"Well, the essays are alphabetized and in the spot the professor left them. Thanks again, Scorpius," Lana McLaggen smiled again, looking down at Lily and ruffling her red strands as she walked towards the door. "See you three in the Common Room. You owe me a game of chess, Peyton. Don't forget."

Looking aghast, Louis bombarded Peyton with, "you play chess with her?" The First Year Slytherin shrugged indifferently at his cousin. "Since when? Some communication between us would help, Peyton!"

"Lana McLaggen?" Rose snorted, looking at the group of older boys around her. "What's so bloody special about Lana? She's a complete wench, you know that."

"She's rather sweet," Lily said nicely. "She always says hello to me."

Nodding her head, Dawn said, "it's true." Her tone was the same as her best friend's. "And she's always telling us when the Thestrals are close by. And lets us know what spots in the forest are safe to be by."

"Neither of you should even be in the forest in the first place!" Rose scolded the two Second Year Gryffindors. "And _you_," she turned to Scorpius, not finding it in her heart to leave the damn idiot alone after he interrupted her time with Damien McLaggen. (It's only fair she annoy him to death.)"Hermione's son or not, McGonagall will punish you for helping your little girlfriend with her assignment."

Malfoy leered, his headache still pounding, but he pushed it away for a few seconds to enjoy the fury bubbling from Rose. "I get rewarded later, Rosie, darling. I assure you the detention will suffice for such prize. Lana is quite generous."

"_Oi_!" Louis snapped as his cousin glared, her fury more genuine than his self pity.

And just before Rose could even react to Malfoy's sickening words, Roxanne came rushing in. "Al! Rose!"

"Settle down, Roxy," Al gripped the girl's arm before she slipped on the marbled floor from her race; letting her catch some air before he let her go. "What's wrong?"

"Ted's here! He pulled Dash and the Thomas twins into the Headmistress office." Swallowing a puff of oxygen, Roxy turned to the little tanned-skin girl. "You better go, Dawn. Be with your brothers."

Dawn was a spitting image of her mother—characteristically wise, of course. She had inherited Luna Lovegood's dreamy aura, her enchantment, the power to stay cheerful at all times, and that skip that made her walks jolly down a corridor. She was rarely scared of anything since she'd been surrounded by odd creatures in her short life due to her mother's work. Being frightened was never an option. But by the look on Roxanne Weasley's face, the tone of fear in her voice, Dawn found herself contaminated with it. "...Why?"

"I...I'm not sure…"Roxy cleared her throat, something in her chest falling. "Teddy will explain everything, okay, D?" Roxy tried her hardest to keep her face blank. "Come on, I'll walk you—"

Dawn took a fast step back, not allowing the redhead girl to take a hold of her hand. "_No_," Dawn practically hissed. "Tell me."

"D, Roxy's right. Whatever happened it's best if Ted tells you," Louis offered, forgetting his moment of pity due to Malfoy and his dream-girl as soon as the little girl's voice squeaked. "Come, Dawn. I'll walk you, yeah?" He smiled dimly at the her, reaching for her little hand as her blue eyes started accumulating tears.

The Second Year sniffled, letting Louis grab her little hand without a fight.

Sharing a long look with his news-bearing cousin, Louis directed Luna Lovegood's daughter towards the exit of the classroom.

"…Roxy, what happened?" Rose asked in a whisper. "What did Teddy tell you?"

"Spill it, Weasley. We're all going to find out eventually. Best give us a clue of how we are supposed to act." Scorpius said with Al nodding in agreement as Lily and Peyton marched after Louis and Dawn. His silver eyes looking expecting. Knowing what was coming; he could see in the girl's expression.

All these Weasley/Potters were easily read. They always wore their emotions like the finest of robes. Never getting the meaning of discretion as they let the world see how they felt.

And Roxy's hesitance gave more away.

Scorpius crossed his arms. "Now would be excellent, Weasley."

Biting her lip, tears sprinkling through her lashes, Roxy nodded solemnly. "…Teddy came back from a crime-scene with the Aurors. There was another attack, nearby Diagon Alley. A pub it seems...Few were hurt, but one killed trying to help a friend."

"_Who_?" Rose questioned again, her heart beating too fast. (Her father was an Auror, after all.)

"Mister Thomas and Mister Finnegan were at the pub..."Roxy murmured, thicker tears falling as she pictured the distraught faces of her friends once they found out the destruction that had fallen upon them. "...Time for another funeral."

Scorpius looked at the relatives huddle together: Al and Rose hugging Roxanne as her hurt was more dominant than theirs at the moment. They comforted her because they didn't know yet, didn't know who it was, and nor were they going to badger it out of her. She gave them what they had asked for after all, a clue.

Now they knew how they were supposed to react, how cautious they had to be from the mourning on Roxanne's face. Yet, what they didn't know was the worst to come. But for now, all they were supposed to find out was that one of their friends had just lost a father; a man who became another entry to the list of the dead.

_ Seamus Finnegan—Former D.A member; murdered on the outskirts of London._


	11. Protecting the Loony and the Sane

**Chapter Eleven**

She was mental, erratic, energetic and obliviously intelligent. She was always the fresh breath of air the world needed during the dark times she grew up in. Charming those who were willing to listen to her odd stories and just smile along. She had learned the meaning of friendship because of those dark times, and had finally felt the love of another when many risked their lives during battle.

She had prepared herself for loss during the war—after all, Luna Lovegood was no stranger to it. Her mother had passed away before she was old enough to go to Hogwarts. Leaving her alone with her father to conquer on life by herself. She loved her father dearly, but she had needed her mother more than anyone could know. She was mental, yes, but even the loony need their mother to guide them in things unknown.

But knowing and waiting for death, Luna never got it. She was showered with love, from every angle possible, survived the reign and imprisonment of the Dark Lord, and then she fell into the system of the Ministry of Magic. She was mixed in with their Marriage Law to help rebuild the destruction-toll death had left for others.

And then, like the power of all that is invisible to the eyes, Luna was married. Almost seventeen years-old and married to a boy that had challenged her heart to beat along with his. She fell in love and—although slightly scared— she never thought again about what she'd known before that emotion that tied her to her husband. She went on, skipping through life like she had grass to go on for miles; ground to cover as she went on with her days. The spirits from up above, guided by the spirit of her deceased mother, granted Luna three miracles that she'd never dreamt of having. She was sent three little angels of her own. Another tie to love that she felt more than blessed in receiving.

But one thing she had to have learned from life was this: _Death is a shadow that always follows the body. _She should've remembered that it existed. That there was a ripper— like those clever muggles like to believe—that awaited in the darkness, counting down the seconds when it choose it was time for a person to go. She had spent years thriving on her husband, children, work, friends and life that she never noticed that evil was still out there.

And it wasn't until her husband got a taste of it, did her senses come back to existence. The world was a much peaceful place in appearance, but Luna Lovegood lived in time of war and she could never let Luna Thomas forget that death still plays in the shadows at night. Waiting to ambush you in the most unexpected moment and take everything its opposite gave you.

"Mrs. Thomas, we're ready for you."

Looking away from the plants on the coffee table in front of her, Luna blinked her blue eyes towards the man in colored-robes peering down at her. "Of course," she replied, forgetting about the details of the plants Neville Longbottom had taught her in his training as a Herboligist years ago.

"We are sorry for this, Mrs. Thomas," the Healer mumbled to the woman, leading her down the tiled pathways of the hospital. "Healer Thomas is one of the most respectable Healers that St. Mungos has. We all send you and your family our deepest support. We're sure, however, that he will be just fine."

Luna smiled faintly, letting her expression be dim as the Healer didn't even dare to look at her. "Thank you," she responded curtly, her heart thumping against her chest as if she was skipping down the hallways singing a merry tune.

It wasn't a cheerful heartbeat, but what she felt as suspense, anxiety—those odd emotions she hadn't felt since Voldemort proclaimed Harry's death ages ago. It felt pressuring, gut-wrenching, that knot of feelings that were balling up inside of her. But alas, she still followed calmly.

"Luna—" And almost as if her past and present self were combining the unexplainable emotions, the blonde woman found a pair of emerald, bespectacled eyes staring at her as she entered a hospital room.

"I'll come back in a few moments to check the vitals," the Healer whispered again, closing the door behind Mrs. Thomas as he watched her just stare on at the person who called her.

"Angelina let us in," Harry Potter explained, smiling shyly at his old friend. "She was a bit crossed with us, but Ron promised to take care of her twins during the upcoming holidays so she and George could go on a second honeymoon."

Flicking his eyes uncomfortably, Ron cleared his throat. Making himself known. "We're here as friends, Luna," he said, but looked towards the dark figure laying perfectly still in white hospital-sheets. "No business matters."

"The Healers said he would wake soon," Luna spoke to her friends, turning away from them to look towards the hospital bed too. "He wasn't hurt badly. Just a few shocks and bruises. Nothing a few days of resting won't cure." She smiled sweetly, those knotted emotions still pressuring her to recall old memories as she turned back to the two-thirds of the Golden Trio. "I'm not sure if he will be up to discussing the situation, but you can try."

"No business matters, Luna, honestly," Ron tried to grin at her, his rigidness still playing loudly in his gaze as he attempted to play it off.

Harry nodded, trying to act the same coy way the redhead man was doing.

"You know Pansy doesn't buy your act of dieting, right, Ron?" The graduated Ravenclaw said with a dream-like tone; one that still hadn't faded even after years of her evolving. "And I surely don't believe your no-Auror-business act, either."

The redhead frowned, forgetting about playing the facade as Harry sighed in the background. "I am too in a diet. I've cut off sweets, haven't I? I'll be back to my teenage body in no time."

"We don't want to intervene, Luna," the Head Auror cut in before his best friend could embarrass himself further more. (Not like anyone couldn't see his belly taking shape of Slughorn's for the past two years.) "I know this is an...intimate moment for you and Dean, but Kingsley sent us down here."

"Mind you, we would still have come even if the Minister hadn't asked us," Ron interrupted. "But you know that, eh, Luna?"

Luna tugged her smile a few more centimeters wide, giving that as her only response. (After all, Gryffindors do stick together. And a Ravenclaw was not one to ever question that.)

"Kingsley just wanted us to speak to Dean before your children show up to the hospital. We don't want them to be uncomfortable with all the questioning while they are trying to be with their father. We don't need another Ariana and Hermione situation, do we?" Harry continued, explaining himself quickly.

"The children aren't coming, Harry," Luna said casually. "They've got classes to attend to and lessons that they can't miss. Dawn is a Second Year, but McGonagall thinks she can catch up to her brothers in no time. And that doesn't happen with skipping classes, Harry. They know their father is well."

Ron coughed in the background, rolling his eyes.

"Teddy mentioned Dawn was the most distraught about the news," the Head Auror said quietly, looking at the hospital bed from the corner of his eye. "She always has been more attached to Dean than Lorcan or Lysander." His expression twisted, imagining the little tanned girl that reminded him so much of his old house-mate; his goddaughter with tears down her face as she worried for her father. "...There's something you should know, Luna."

Listening intently, Ron coughed repeatedly as he recognized that look on Harry's face. "Oi, what are you doing, mate?" He hissed, brows furrowing as his best friend shrugged. "What happened to Ministry matters? Are we not biding by that rubbish Malfoy is making us obey? Or are we telling the world? Because I'm pretty sure that Healer is still nosing in outside the door."

"Luna has a right to know, Ron," Harry started, thinking back to the updated list of the dead; a list that could have had Dean's name on it if it wasn't for a divine miracle. "Besides, Malfoy said we weren't allow to tell Hermione. And Luna keeps things to herself."

Nodding to herself—mind you, she was never a gossiping witch—Luna cleared her throat to bring back the attention of the two that were having a silent conversation among each other. "This wasn't an accident, was it?"

Ron groaned. (For Merlin's bloody sake.) "No _attack_ ever is, is it, Luna?"

"For the past few months, deaths have been happening globally within our community," the Chosen One began, his essence of Head Auror appearing as if he was discussing matters with his fellow Aurors. "Until now, they had all been carefully handled, perfectly committed. Not leaving a trail behind or any evidence of an attempt of murder. Kingsley discovered a pattern among the list of the dead—of those who passed away 'accidentally'."

Luna gritted her teeth, her pale face twisting like if she were in pain. "The Healers said there was an expulsion at the pub Dean and Seamus.." she paused, seeing the two men flinch at the name. "It was reported as an electrical mishap from the muggles in London."

"But strange, isn't it, Luna, that it only went for the wizards?" Ron continued on for Harry. "That the electrical currents only headed for them? For the only two members of the D.A. in that pub?"

Struggling with herself, Luna's smile dropped a few inches, only looking like a failed attempt of a grin. "Oh," she murmured, everything clicking in before they decided to keep on explaining. She understood—the breaking of the law to tell her affairs of the Ministry. Of why they decided to tell her, the only friend not married to an Auror among them. "They're coming to get us."

"We're doing all that we can, Luna, believe us," Harry stepped forward, taking one of her pale hands into his. His eyes looking deep into hers as a brother trying to console a younger sister. "We will send Aurors to be stationed around your home once Dean's released. I'm afraid your work as a naturalist must come to a temporary end. We can't risk you exploring forests or locations unprotected."

"I have faith in you, Harry." Luna squeezed his hand, looking at him as if she knew more than he did. "I've always have. I know you're going to catch whoever is doing this...But you can't stop us from having our lives. When have we ever been the type to run? Dean's going to want to avenge this...to protect his children now more than ever."

And as a warming feeling pushed past the knot of emotions, Luna let Harry's hand go; turning around as the figure on the hospital bed began to come to life. Blinking dark eyes, fluttering around confusedly as the blonde woman approached her husband.

"...Seamus?" Dean Thomas asked huskily, his body feeling heavy as he tried to sit up on his mattress, his eyes never moving from the intense blue they had found.

And all she could do—because no one ever taught her how to explain death and loss to a person, Luna reached for her husband's hand. Taking it, clutching onto it strongly than she did Harry's. Passing down all of her strength to him, like if his pores could suck up all her force living underneath her skin.

"I'm alive," Dean murmured, understanding perfectly well the deep silence that took the room; his flashbacks of the accident coming back like the bolts his body had taken.

"You have twice as much Wrackspurts than ever before," Luna whispered, ignoring the two bodies in back of her, only being able to see Dean. "Floating all around your head."

"Don't you need special glasses to see that?" Dean asked with a fake chuckle, an emotional knot of his own preventing him from swallowing the agonizing thud he watched his best friend give before he passed out.

Luna held tighter to his hand, seeing the shadow of death around her husband slowly fade away from his hospital bed; almost as if it was warning her it would be back one day. And next time, for both of them. "Not really," she smiled. " I do love you after all, I can see everything that involves you."

** X**

"How is Percy doing, Gin?" Filling up the tea cups around the coffee table, Hermione paused to look up at the redhead in front of her. "Ron told me he wrote to the family yesterday evening."

"He's great, 'Mione. France is doing wonders for him and the girls. He sent pictures. Molly and Lucy are getting so big." Ginny Potter smiled, thinking back to the photograph of two redheads waving up at her. "Molly still says that Beauxbatons is indeed better than Hogwarts, no matter if Lucy keeps fussing about coming back. But, she says she does miss it just as much as her little sister."

"Of course she does," Pansy scoffed, taking her cup of tea from the table. "The girl was almost a Fifth Year when Percy and Audrey decided to relocate, breaking my mother-in-law's heart."

Sipping on her tea, Cho Zabini rolled her eyes before speaking. "Come off it, Pansy. You're just upset because Audrey didn't let you decorate their new house when you insisted you knew more about French decor than Fleur."

"It would have been fabulous!" Pansy retorted, downing her tea as if it were Firewhiskey. "The veela knows nothing of luxurious homes. She lives in a cottage for Salazar's sake!"

"Will you keep it down?" Hermione hissed, hushing the dark-haired witch before she started more commotion. "Narcissa's asleep."

Pansy huffed, glaring and pouring herself more tea.

"How is she settling in?" Ginny asked, frowning at her sister-in-law as she scowled in a childish behavior. "Merlin knows Andromeda is a bit annoyed at the Burrow, insisting that she was perfectly safe at Grimmauld Place and had no need to take up my old room and invade mum's privacy."

"Why exactly did Potter insist Andromeda left?" Pansy questioned, curiosity replacing her tantrum.

"I'm not sure, Pansy. All I know is that it caused a row between Teddy and Draco."

"Draco?" Hermione turned, furrowing her eyebrows at the redhead in her living room. "Why did Andromeda's decision of leaving Grimmauld Place cause Teddy and Draco to fight? Narcissa told me her sister was getting tired of living alone, and that she wanted to be with family."

"She should have went to Godrics Hallow in that case, don't you reckon?" Ginny responded, looking at the brunette as she settled herself in the armchair in front of her. "I questioned her choice, Teddy even asked her to come with us instead of the Burrow, but you know those Blacks. Completely hardheaded, the lot of them."

For the first time in a long time, Hermione was confused. "I still don't understand Draco's part in this."

"Teddy found out Draco was owling Andromeda, asking her to leave her home." The redhead explained further, wondering to herself why hadn't Hermione known any of this.

But before the two old friends could stir up a discussion about the subject, the door of the muggle home opened; allowing a burst of the moonlight and darkness from outside to enter the house.

"Speaking of the Slytherin Prince—"

"—_Cho_!"

Before Draco Malfoy could close the door of his home behind him, he was shoved out of the way, colliding against the left wall as a dark figure raced into the living room.

"Blaise?" The graduated Ravenclaw grunted, startled as her teacup went crashing to the floor as her husband jumped onto her lap. "Didn't you have a business meeting until late?"

"What is the world becoming, Cho? What?!" Blaise Zabini cried, clinging his arms around Cho's neck as the woman glared at the blonde male standing blankly by the door.

"What did you do, Malfoy?" Cho hissed, patting her husband's back as he cried deeper.

"I'm too young...too young!" Blaise continued, not letting Draco respond a devious remark to the witch. "My little men! What am I without them? I'm just a lonely, handsome, git without them, that's what!"

Cho rolled her eyes, but kept patting her husband soothingly.

"He's got testicular cancer, hasn't he?" Pansy smirked, sitting up taller on her seat so everyone could see her leer. (Oh, Slytherin bitches never change.) "About time. It was starting to get annoying, having him live a too happy life. I expected Dragon Pox, but this is much better."

Rolling his silvery eyes, Draco walked towards the living room of his home; his facial expression still as sharply blank as ever. "Thomas is in the hospital."

"What?!" The word echoed out, the women watching as the blonde man settled himself on the armrest next to his wife, not bothering to look at her as her gasp pierced his ears louder than the rest.

"Finnegan is dead," Malfoy continued, his exhaustion thicker than it had been in years. (Not since Demetria was three months-old and she had a fever that kept him sitting by her crib for a week.) "There was an electrical explosion in the muggle pub they were in earlier today." He said to the tearing witches, watching them unstirred from his lack of energy as the redhead stood up from her chair at the same time Pansy did. Both of them with their wands out at the ready. "There happened to be another wizard at the pub that recognized Thomas and Finnegan and reported it to the Ministry before a muggle-paramedic team was called."

"How?" Hermione whispered to her husband, turning her body in an angle and gripping on to his knee. "Seamus is...was...an Obliviator, Draco." A trail of tears raced down the brunette's cheeks. "He could have done a spell, protected himself and then deal with the muggles. How is he—"

"The electrical outburst was headed for Dean, 'Mione," tearing himself away from the crook of Cho's neck, Blaise stared distraught at the women, answering Hermione's question as his best friend kept his mouth shut. "Seamus had enough time to notice that, and, well...No one can question a Gryffindor's fierce loyalty, can they?"

"I'll take Lavender," Pansy gritted her teeth, not letting herself shed those tears in her eyes as her fellow Slytherin was doing. (She wasn't heartless, she was just less emotional than Zabini.) "I'm guessing her son will be arriving to their house soon."

Draco nodded. "Teddy went to collect him."

"I'll go with Luna, make sure everything is fine with her and Dean," Ginny looked at her sister-in-law. "I'll meet you at Lavender's after I'm done."

Pansy nodded.

"Come, Blaise," Cho sighed, taking her husband's hand as she cried silent tears. "How about some chamomile and a nice nap? We'll see Lavender and Luna tomorrow, yeah?"

Blaise sniffled, looking towards his best friend as the other two women disappeared with loud cracks. "I'm glad Thomas is alive, mate. Luna would have thrown herself at me again. You know she wants me."

"Why is this happening?" Hermione whispered as Cho pulled on Blaise's ear, shouting at him as they disapparated. "...Why all the deaths?"

Waiting for a necessary two seconds to pass, Draco turned to his wife. Looking deep into her warm brown as he felt a small fragment inside of him turn cold. Something that went beyond his person, deeper than his skin, past his muscles and tissues, underneath his bones, lower than his blood and veins—a vital part of humanity freezing up as he stared at her; his faith.

He knew Hermione was suffering, knew that those around him—his mother, his children, Lavender, her son, and Thomas were all targeted and they all crumbled beneath the hand of the enemy. There was a part of him that no longer let him believe that those around were untouchable, unreachable. They were humans, magic or not. And that was hard to understand. To let his head wrap around that his father, a man who believed he was a God due to the magic running in his blood, died so easily. How Finnegan, being skilled in battle and spells stopped living in a second.

"...The world's a much dangerous place than we imagine," he said to her, taking her hand from his knee and grabbing it securely.

He looked at her, seeing the ghost of the brains of the Golden Trio reflected back at him. Being able to see the battle in her bright brown eyes, her strength in her beautiful features; he saw her completely, that girl who never stopped fighting for what she loved. But he feared, he lost faith that that wouldn't be enough. He couldn't trust that she still had it in her to fight for her life, what he most treasured. And he was not about to let her test it. He was not going to let a slip of information ignite the once flame of war in her veins.

"You know I'd never let anything harm you," he smiled falsely, remembering the fake emotions he had to show years ago when he was plotting a murder and his soul was slowly dying along with his humanity. "_Ever_."

"What's happening, Draco?" Hermione kept their gaze, even as her husband pulled her off her armchair and towards the couch across it. "Please...tell me. How can we keep losing people?"

Settling himself on his couch, his body feeling relaxed as the cushions provided the perfect leverage, Malfoy put an arm around Hermione's shoulder. His will just as strong, his believes just as intact; even as she shed tears of mourning for her recently deceased friend.

"Accidents, Hermione," he replied to her, his fingers pulling lightly on her curls.

She sighed, letting out a puff of air through her parted lips. "I keep trying to find an explanation for all of this, Malfoy. I'm trying to find a logical reason for the deaths...for our daughter being in a comatose state instead of demanding for a bottle of milk right now.."

Keeping his mouth shut, Draco felt a tug somewhere inside of him as he pictured his little girl in her glass crib in St. Mungos. Wires wrapped and attached to her body, trying to keep track of every signal her internal system gave.

"…But, perhaps, I think too much." Hermione spoke again, settling her head on her husband's shoulder. Finding some sort of peace and calmness in his embrace. "It kills me not to know...to know why these things happen."

And from the hall that led to the bedrooms of Draco and Hermione Malfoy's home, an elder blonde woman listened very carefully to the married couple. A few tears pushing past her eyelashes as her blue eyes stared broken-heartedly at them. A spiritual pressure next to her as she cried silently and undetected; almost as if her own deceased was there. Never leaving her alone and unprotected, signaling to her that the lack of his materialized presence was not in vain.

There was a reason why he was gone, why his time had come and left.

But taking a step back as the couple in the living room pressed their lips together, the woman turned back towards her room, an invisible dagger penetrating her thoughts like venom. Because Narcissa Malfoy knew that Draco was never going to tell her. He was never going to tell Hermione that they were coming after her, and her death was probably next.

* * *

**AN: Well...*cough***

**I bet some of you are wondering why I made Luna find out rather than Hermione, and that is because I HAVE NO IDEA. Lol. I honestly hadn't a clue what I was going to do with this chapter, so I just winged it. I hope you like my not=planned chapter though. I was like BLAH and then like BLEH. But in the end I decided to give you guys a bit of DRAMIONE fluff...even if it was a bit creepy and not really fluffy...*cough***

**R&R?:)  
**


	12. Celebrating the Dead and Those Who Fall

**Chapter Twelve**

The grass was as green as it always was: the intense vegetation stretched out for miles, over hills and hitting the ends of the Black Forest and the Black Lake. The trees rose up high, the flowers scented yards away from where they grew, bushes sculpted the gardens with its interesting shapes. All of it, including with the morning sun rising up and sending warm rays through the young sky, was a regular morning at Hogwarts—except for the large group huddled together in a garden yards away from the castle.

All of them dressed in the blackest of robes, a few chairs aligned in perfect rows, large arrangement of flowers, and gravestones surrounding the people as their attention was focused on a ruby casket in the center of their seats.

"Ruddy intruders, mate. You know they're watching in," Angelo Zabini muttered, turning around on his seat so he could take a look towards the direction of the castle. "I can see them now. With their telescopes and extendable ears from the Weasley Wizard Wheezes Platinum Edition. Those sneaky bastards, absolutely no respect."

_ Smack._

"Oi!" Angelo hissed, turning back around as his head was almost slapped off of his neck; looking at the eyes glaring back at him. "What the ruddy hell was that for?"

"…Mum said to pass it down," Savanna frowned at her brother, whispering harshly as she threw another smack at the yell he sent at her.

Leaning out towards his chair, Angelo gulped as he caught the intense frown his mother was sending him from a row in front; an arm wrapped tight around his father's shoulders. "…Sorry, mummy." Angelo waved shyly at Cho Zabini, chuckling in nervous puffs as he settled himself back against the chair politely.

"Bet they wanted an exclusive invitation," Savanna huffed to herself, arms folding tightly across her chest. "Bloody idiots. Like this has anything to do with them. Filch is going to suffer the consequences once this is over. McGonagall _told_ him no student was allowed out the castle until she came back."

Her brother frowned at her as a few people around them began to nod in agreement with her statement. "Why are _you_ allowed to talk?"

"Because mum actually loves me, Angie," Savanna spat, her foot tapping impatiently against the grassy floor as she kept her gaze concentrated towards the front.

"Don't call me Angie!"

"—Oh, shut up." Hissing with irritation, Dominique Weasley smacked the only male Zabini heir on the chest from the back row, managing to sit perfectly still on her chair and attack him at the same time. "Don't you see there is a funeral going on, you pathetic troll? Shut up before I curse you and we have to get _you_ a casket."

Putting his head down in what was considered somewhat of a shame, Zabini couldn't help but to tug on a little smirk. "...I like my women feisty."

"—And in Seamus' great honor and memory, is why we are all here today." Looking solemn and whole, Kingsley Shacklebolt stared at his people with the expression of a leader, of a man who has seen it all in his title as Minister and in the experience of why he got it. "To honor him for the extraordinary life he has lived. For all of the accomplishments and great successes he has reached."

Silence.

The Minister nodded to himself. Continuing on. "Will all the family and intimate friends gather around, please."

"…Poor Dash," Ariana Malfoy murmured, letting her two close friends, Roxanne and Savanna, lead her towards the casket. Each of them holding on to one of her arms as she lost a lot of her rosy color throughout the funeral service and couldn't truly stand on her own. (The Malfoy girl never thought she'd attend two funerals in the same year, let alone in the same month.) "Look at him, he can't bare it."

Flicking her eyes towards the sandy-haired boy, just to get a tiny glimpse of him, Roxy felt a fresh wave of tears race down her cheeks. "…Can't imagine how he feels," She admitted through a tightening knot in her throat, inhaling the morning air as she saw a tall redheaded man approach his way to the casket, holding the hand of a dark-skinned woman following closely.

"To think that I was getting him in trouble when Teddy came looking for him," James Potter cut in, hearing the conversation from the three girls in front of him as he walked in unison with the other group of boys; all of the coexisting for a few hours due to the pain and mourning in the air. "I won't be able to use a Devil's Snare tentacle for my victims and pranks without feeling guilty about Finnegan."

Rolling his eyes at his brother, Al snorted as he walked next to his two house-mates. "With the countless pranks you have yet tried on students with Devil Snare, I doubt you _won't_ stop using it."

"Alright, I'll gladly take the detention, yeah? How about that?" James added, acknowledging the fact that he had a few good pranks involving Devil Snare still, all of which was written in the Weasley/Potter book of secrets. (A novel that the original Weasley Prankster has created for his young grasshoppers.) "Sounds like a plan, right, mates?"

"I think we should give him an entire year free of pranks. And two passes to join one of ours," Louis said casually, earning a nod from his cousin Fred on his left as the three walked with the Slytherins. "And a month of using the best chair by the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room."

Barely interested in the conversation the three Gryffindor-prats were having, Scorpius Malfoy rolled his eyes in annoyance as they continued talking.('_And a month of using the best chair by the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room_'? Who the hell did they think they were? Godric Gryffindor, Merlin, and the Minister?)

"It all sounds good, mate, but I'm not quite keen on those two passes to join _our_ pranks," James commented, looking undecided as Rose Weasley passed their group with her little brother and his little sister; holding both their hands as they looked hesitant to approach the casket. "Finnegan is great mates with the loony-twins. And I'm not sure if I want the Thomas-duo joining my missions."

Fred sighed, picking up the pace as the group in front was practically completely assembled together. "Dash is best mates with Lorcan Thomas, not Lysander. Remember Lysander is after Alice Longbottom and they're both competing for her affection? We could let him slide on this."

But before James could answer in denial, "—Gather around, gather around. Dean would like to say a few words before the burial takes place." Kingsley's deep voice broke through the irritating conversation among the Gryffindors, allowing the group to get their separate ways.

"Quickly, now," McGonagall added, frowning as Louis and Dominique made their way to Bill and Fleur Weasley.

"_Scorpius_." Receiving a small frown from a teary brunette, Scorpius muttered a fake apology at his sister as his mother and father both scowled at him for shoving her a few inches to her right; trying to find space to stand next to his family as the others were gathered with theirs.

"...Whys isn't Auntie Lav speaking?" Little Lily mumbled to her parents, tugging on their hands.

Not wanting to add to a pain Lily didn't know or could possibly understand, Harry and Ginny Potter exchanged looks. "Lavender wants Dean to speak, darling. She's too tired." Was what the Boy-Who-Lived settled for.

Watching as Dean Thomas took a deep exhale and looked towards the small crowd of familiar faces, Scorpius turned his blank expression to the speaker; giving the respect that was due to the loss expressing on his face. "…Years back, most of us would've known how to handle this," he began, a hand clutched tightly with Luna's as his eyes moved towards the ruby-red casket. "We knew what death was, how to handle it, and how to expect it. We grew up in a dangerous place. Hogwarts itself wasn't safe. And the daunting idea of death was _casual_...none of us wanted it, but we all knew it would come..."

"…Sooner or later," Draco Malfoy whispered to himself, not noticing that his son was the only one that saw him touch the arm that held the dark mark on his skin.

"We all helped create a safe place for ourselves, for our family and friends. And in the future, our kids...A safe place for them…Seamus helped fight for that," Dean looked up towards Dash Finnegan, his godson. Watching the sandy-haired boy shed silent tears as he held on to his mother, both of them leaning on each other for support. "That is why he is buried here today. Among other war heroes that gave up their lives for the greater good. Among Lupin, Tonks, Fred, Dumbledore...and others. Because he was an amazing man..."

George Weasley nodded along with Dean, bright eyes sparkling with tears as he moved his gaze towards a white tomb feet away; where his twin brother laid in death and peace.

"We've grown older, developed families...but he was always my best friend," Dean continued, receiving a few smiles from his old classmates. "Even until his last moment was he my best friend...We would have given anything up for one another—our lives even...I can't describe what I lost or explain what he robbed us from when he left, but cursing the world doesn't help, he's still gone. And that's the hardest thing to explain...But I have my memories. And that, we should cherish like gold galleons...And remembering that all I've always known about my mate is...that Seamus was _always_ for the party."

"Hear! Hear!" Neville Longbottom's voice rung throughout the people and his wife, Hannah. All of them laughing along with the rest of the classmates that knew Seamus well.

Dean grinned along with the Professor of Herbology; Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Cho, and George. He smiled, breathed in again, and placed his free hand on the casket, pausing for a moment. "And we honor him for that. We _will_ remember him for that. For a light that never burned out...One that never will."

** X**

"So…" Sighing lightly at the group huddled together on the floor of the empty classroom, Rose Weasley pulled her knees up to her chest as the others remained looking blank and barely there. Everyone was either staring at the marbled floor, at a spot on the walls, or out the window. "We just left a funeral three hours ago. The funeral of a man we have all known our entire lives, and Luna takes our parents out to celebrate? And they accepted?"

The beautiful redhead furrowed her eyebrows as no one even looked as skeptical as she was, only receiving a cough from Peyton as he and Lily laid next to each other; the only ones looking at the ceiling.

"Don't you lot realize the mental thing that just happened? Our parents went out to _celebrate_ Mister Finnegan's death and they left us here!"

"Aunt Pansy left a Firewhiskey bottle," Louis commented casually, stretching it out towards the group as Dominique reached out for it.

Rose frowned, not amused at all by her cousin's remark.

"Well," Louis cleared his throat, "your mum left it for Dom and I. Seeing as we are the oldest, but at least we have Firewhiskey."

Rose remained scowling. "You don't get it. Can't you see that—"

"I think the real question here is," cutting across his cousin, really not feeling like hearing the redhead shout at them after the silence that has been taken on upon the group since they awoke, Al spoke for the first time since he took a seat on the floor. "When did the Headmistress start being so emotionally supportive with her students?"

"A man just died, Al," Roxanne huffed, head leaning on Savanna's shoulder. "I think she has a bit of a heart herself. Mister Finnegan was one of her students, after all."

"_Exactly_!" Rose cut in, managing to get herself heard before the group could sound her out again. "McGonagall is in mourning, locked in her office with the Minister to discuss ways to help us get over this, and our parents went out for drinks!"

"They went to the Burrow," James rolled his eyes, taking the chance to throw an arm around Ariana Malfoy's shoulder, sending a secretive smirk at Al who caught sight of his action right on time. "And stop being so bloody outraged with this. Didn't you hear Dean? Seamus would have preferred a good Gryffindor celebration than crying all over his tomb. Mum, Aunt Pansy, Hermione and Cho are trying to get Lavender to embrace life once again." Flickering his eyes to the caramel-haired girl next to him, James saw her silvery eyes glisten. "...Death is hard, mates, but just because they are gone, doesn't mean their memory doesn't live on."

The eldest Potter tightened his arm around the Malfoy girl, smiling comfortingly at her as Scorpius Malfoy frowned. (Wasn't this about Finnegan, not about Lucius Malfoy's death?) The blonde Slytherin scoffed to himself; of course his sister would make this about her.

"...Lavender is pulling Dash out of Hogwarts," Lily muttered, sniffling as her and Peyton remained looking up at the ceiling. "Dawn told me," she added, hearing the puffs of unbelieving air her relatives and friends blew out. "Apparently, Lavender thinks that getting away from here is the best thing for Dash. He is the only child and this is going to be more difficult for him."

"Shouldn't he be with friends then? So this could be easier for him, instead of shipping him off to Merlin-knows-where?" Dominique hiccupped, furrowing her brows as a couple of redheads turned to look at her quizzically. (Was she thinking of others?) "I didn't mean me, you know. I mean _you_ lot."

"The Thomas twins and Dawn are like his family, Dom, that's what he needs now. Not our pathetic lot trying to cheer him up. We are rubbish at that." Rose pointed a finger around.

"Tell me about it," Peyton snorted at his sister's words. "When my pet died all of you didn't even bother to cheer _me_ up. I was a broken six year-old with lost dreams. Then mummy had to go out and buy me a new pet."

"A _gnome_ is not a pet, Peyton," Angelo said, remembering the summer he was at Ron and Pansy's home and the little body passed out in the garden; flies circling it as it stunk of Firewhiskey and mince pies. "And, besides, the owl you have now was ruddy expensive."

"But it doesn't talk to me at night, does it?" Peyton hissed, crossing his arms as he kept his back pressed onto the marbled ground of the classroom. "That bloody owl doesn't tell me it cares!"

Looking awkwardly at her little brother, Rose sat silently this time as her own worries began bubbling in her mind. (What if Peyton ended up like the demented part of her mother's family? The Parkinsons _are_ known for their restrained mentality. Mind you, her grandfather Parkinson insists she should allow him to find her a husband—a_t fifteen_.)

"Alright, all this damn silence is making me hungry," Fred jumped up onto his feet, stretching both of his hands out to the two nearest girls: his twin and Savanna Zabini. "It's getting rather late, and I'm sure Winky is waiting for me with my snack as usual."

Glaring as Savanna and Fred remained with their hands together—even after he helped her off the floor two seconds ago—James stood and smacked their hands away from each other as he laughed _too_ casually. "Brilliant idea, mate. We shall show the girls the kitchens. It'll be the adventure of a lifetime for them."

"We've seen the kitchen, Potter," Savanna frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as Fred stared confusedly at his cousin.

James leered, keeping his hazel eyes connected with her colored ones. "Come, Ana?" He spoke sweetly, bowing at the Third Year Gryffindor while still smiling wickedly at Savanna. "Please," he added as the girl stared at his hand unmoved.

"Maybe we should go too, eh, mate?" Clapping Angelo's back roughly, Al stood from the floor as well; glaring at Ariana as she gave her hand so easily to his brother. "All of us. Lils, Peyton, off the floor, lads. We are getting fed."

"A hand, my lady?" Zabini smiled grandly at the curvy redhead as Al pulled his little sister up as she muttered an 'I suppose I should see Winky. It's been a while.'

"Erm, no," Dominique stood on her own, cheeks flushed with color as she downed the last bit of liquor in the bottle and she pushed Angelo's hand away from her. (She never knew what his pesky fingers were going to do. One moment he was trying to be polite, and the next he was trying to pull strings of her inflamed hair out as a souvenir.) "I'm going to find Krum—_that _will be my dinner."

Angelo gasped, following the curvy redhead as she stumbled her way out. "Oi! I do not share my women, Dominique!" Pushing past the blonde Weasley of the lot, the Slytherin frowned at the part-veela as he was being helped with his wobbling by Roxy and Peyton. "Aren't you going to do anything, mate?"

"I should, shouldn't I?" Louis slurred, patting Peyton's dark red-hair. "Take me to the Slytherin Common Room, cousin. I bet Lana is wearing a skirt today."

"McLaggen wears a skirt every day, Louis," Roxy rolled her eyes. "It's part of the uniform."

Watching silently as everyone made their way out of the classroom, Rose suddenly felt her blood rush thicker in her veins as she noticed that there was still one person left in the room; a boy with the gaze she loathed with every fiber of her being.

"…Not hungry, Malfoy?" She asked in a small voice, a bit of attitude spat in the mix just to be prepared for _his_ response.

"Nope."

Raising an eyebrow at the flat tone, Rose huffed a little. "You were quiet throughout the entire funeral," she pointed out, remembering those irritating grey eyes never moving from the casket.

Scorpius remained silent, finding that the spot on the wall, caused by a potion exploding everywhere a year ago, was more interesting than staring at the redhead.

"…He was a distant man, Scorpius, but he loved you so much."

Turning around at that, Malfoy rose an eyebrow of his own. "What are you going on about?"

"Your grandfather," Rose grunted, almost like it should have been obvious from the beginning. (Mind you, Seamus got along with all the lot of children sprouted into his friends' lives, but Scorpius was not his favorite. Malfoy was always attempting to lose Dash in their outings. ) "It's who you're thinking about, isn't it?"

"And you know that _because..._?" The blonde scowled.

"I just know you," Rose shrugged simply.

A snort filled the classroom. "Enlighten me. You really think you know me enough to assume such a daft thing?"

"There's no possible way that a person can act so frozen and unmoved by the death of a relative, Malfoy," the redhead challenged, crossing her arms over her kneecaps as she looked into those gut-wrenching eyes. "You loved your grandfather, and everyone has known that for years. You always preferred being at Malfoy Manor than at Godrics Hallow with your best mate for the summers. You always went on for ages about the places Lucius took you, or the wicked things he taught you...You loved him. And now you lost him. Tell me that you don't feel his absence, Scorpius. Tell me that you don't ever stare at those photographs at the bottom of you trunk and curse those idiots that killed him."

"Been sneaking into my trunk, Weasley, or do you automatically assume I do keep heart-touching belongings tucked underneath my socks?" Scorpius glared, a wave of anger and his own hate for the redhead appearing into his bloodstream as she blinked her brown eyes innocently. Almost as if she _believed_ her theory of him was accurate. "I don't feel anything. I accept the fact that my grandfather is dead, and don't go exhausting his loss like Ariana does every given moment. And as for his murderer, my grandmother Narcissa took care of that perfectly well, and my dad won't hesitate to make sure the other one gets locked in Azkaban for the rest of his bloody life."

"You're not as strong as you think, Malfoy!" Rose managed to hiss before the blonde could exit the classroom, her heart racing as his infuriated stare paralyzed her when he was standing up from the ground seconds ago.

Standing inches away from the door, Scorpius turned back to the redhead; allowing her another second of his time. Another second of having to endure her cursed presence, an odd electrical current piercing his insides every time he saw her. Almost as if his body couldn't stand the annoyance she brought into him.

"You act so mighty and invincible...but one day you _will_ crumble down like the rest of us humans..."

"Are you sure about that, Weasley?" He sneered, his heart thumping loudly with rage at her comment. (Like he would ever bring down his barriers made of steel to expose his heart. He was good at being a jerk, and that would _never_ change.)

"It's what I know about you, Scorpius," Rose replied smoothly, a blank expression on her beautiful, pale face. "What's certain."

Malfoy pulled on his signature smirk, carelessness appearing on his face. "Good luck proving your theory, Rose, darling. You're the last person in the universe that would ever get the pleasure of witnessing that."

Sitting alone on the middle of the classroom, Rose's eyes began glistening as she watched the blonde boy shut the door ruthlessly behind him. His footsteps sounding loud against the marbled floor and distancing themselves from her quickly.

If there was another thing that she was certain of, it was that Scorpius Malfoy would always walk away from her. But one day, she knows, he'll realize his mistakes, and she'd be the one distancing herself from him.

He was human, and he was going to fall down sooner or later.


	13. The Tardy and The Weak

**Chapter Thirteen**

Stretching his arms out in the open space, Harry Potter yawned as his emerald eyes adjusted to the light confined inside his four walls. He walked out of his bedroom, already a few minutes behind schedule as his body decided that he needed more than four hours of sleep and it was not about to let the Head Auror for the Ministry of Magic walk out into danger without another five hours of rest. (It was his fault, for one, but after a lifetime of never being able to actually rest due to the fact that he was saving the world constantly, he was allowed to slide by. Oh, the perks of being The Chosen One.)

"—Morning, Harry."

"—Afternoon is more like it."

Crossing his arms over his bare chest, Harry's eyes widened at the faces looking up at him; startling him as he just expected to find the redhead of his heart scowling at him as he walked half-nude in the light of the sun, windows open as he exposed himself. (Again, he was allowed to slide by with whatever he wanted nowadays.) "It's not that late, is it?" He asked those peering faces.

"Past noon, mate, but it's alright. Ginny tells us you were sleeping like a baby."

"With the kicking and stealing of blankets." Walking into the living room, Ginny Potter handed her husband an old shirt, smirking at him as George sat waiting patiently to make a joke. "Now I know where James got it from. Because Merlin knows that boy almost crushed a couple of bones when he was in the womb."

"Reminds me of the twins," Molly Weasley said, serving the people around her daughter's center table a bit of tea. "It was like a constant party for those two. My pelvis was never quite right after that."

Ginny grimaced. She didn't want to know about her mother's pelvis or areas around there.

"Fred came out throwing punches," George interjected cheerfully, some nostalgia that'll forever be a part of him when his dead brother came into conversation shone brightly in his eyes. "Got a good swing at the Healer, mate, that he gladly smacked Fred back. We ruled that cradle-room."

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother. "You don't know that, George. And you didn't rule anything."

"Oi, don't underestimate my ability to kick ass, Gin."

"We've just got here a few minutes ago, Harry." Ron called as Hermione nudged him, taking a pumpkin pasty from his hands and a frown for not greeting their best friend. "Found it a bit weird that you weren't in your office, but Teddy told me you had slept in."

Harry furrowed his brows, taking a seat on the armchair facing the small group around him. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"Relax, Harry," Hermione smiled peacefully at the bespectacled man. "You look frightened. This isn't an intervention."

"Yeah, mate, the next one is for Ron. Take a breath."

"_Me_?" Ron snapped. "Why me?"

George grinned wickedly, shrugging casually as he snuggled casually next to his mother. Almost as if he was measuring his protection against 'Ickle Ronniekens' in case he decided to fight back. (Which, George could never be certain of. Pansy seemed to have given him some courage, but then again she's the man of their relationship. He was never sure if Ron would hit or runaway crying for backup.) "We're starting to get worried about your weight, Ron. Another month of your sick eating-habits and you won't be fitting through the Floo anymore."

"It's baby weight!" Ron hissed, looking outraged as his fingers let slip that sweet he had taken back from Hermione. "I've never been in this spectacular shape in years!"

Sighing to herself, Hermione had to speak up in defense for her redhead best friend. "George, don't be so mean. Ron's just building up that weight after years; his metabolism isn't the same as when he was a teenager."

The tall redheaded man grinned more largely. Even as his mother removed him from her side, his protection vanishing. "But of course, 'Mione. That can only justify why he is out of breath every three seconds and why Kingsley is thinking about retiring him."

Ron's eyes opened wildly.

"Didn't know?" George continued, looking up at his brother-in-law with a teasing stare; putting him on the spot as Ron turned pink. "Harry, mate, can't believe you haven't told my little brother about his sacking. It's okay, Ron, there is always the position of caretaker for the shop open just for you. What is family for anyway, right?"

Having had forgotten his wand on his nightstand, Harry exhaled nosily to catch the attention of his flushing-in-anger friend. "You're not getting sacked, Ron. Now, will someone care to explain what do I owe this huddle for before my living room gets torn into pieces and Gin makes me clean up after you lot?"

"_Zabini,_" Ginny answered for her husband, leering secretively as the others raised their eyebrows at Harry's comment. (Yes, she kept her man controlled.) "He's been talking to Lavender these past few weeks, discussing 'speculations' that he has come up with. We already asked Cho to smack him for us, you know, just how she usually does, but it seems that Lavender has lost all of her marbles now that Seamus—We're just worried about Lavender and Dash, Harry."

Turning to look at Ron, Harry tried to pull on his most serious expression. "Speculations of what?"

"Blaise thinks Seamus was _killed_," Hermione responded, grimacing to hide her suspicion. (Not like she didn't catch that calculated stare among her two best friends, like she hadn't grown up with them. Knowing every little secret message among the two. Harry might be the Boy-Who-Lived, but she was the Brightest Witch of the Age; that qualified her to be smarter than what they were giving her credit for.) "He's been telling Lavender, that since she works at the Ministry, she should try and check up on the file the Aurors have for Seamus' case."

"There's no file," Harry replied quietly. "Finnegan's death was accidental. Caused by a mishap with muggle electricity. We didn't run an investigation, Lavender knows that. No case was open because it wasn't murder or anything that qualifies it as an Auror-matter. "

The brunette woman frowned. "There is _always_ a file, Harry. The Ministry has to keep record of the deaths among our population, that's how they created the Marriage Law that bound us with our respective partners ages ago. The Ministry sends in people to get every detail about a wizard's death no matter if they died in muggle locations."

Attempting not to roll his eyes, because Hermione never seemed to _stop_ thinking and knowing stuff, Harry kept his facade on as Ron pretended to be interested on the pattern on the teapot. "A record of their death, Hermione, is not a file. It's a simple name on a list. I don't know what you expect me to do about this, Zabini is not my concern. I can talk to Lavender, show her the list if she wished...but Zabini's faulty mind is something not even Merlin can help him with."

Looking awkward, Ron chuckled in exaggerated puffs. "That's the same thing Malfoy said, mate. I told Hermione and Ginny to nose off about this, that they're reading too much into Zabini's crazy ramblings, but you know them. _Women_." He snorted the last word, earning quick frowns from his sister and best friend, but a smack upside the head by his mother.

"Spot of breakfast, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked happily, rising up from her seat to subdue the pressure that was being forced on Harry. "I'll cook you up something while you get ready to go to the Ministry." Molly Weasley was not to be fooled with, _ever_. She knew what was going on before anyone could even attempt to explain it to her. Which meant that she knew the cold-case that'd been cracked up by the Minister and given to her son, son-in-law and Draco. It wasn't, however, her place to undermine the authority of Aurors or the concerns of husbands—so she chose to pretend like she was oblivious.

"Mum—_Mum_!" Groaning as the elder woman wobbled her way into her kitchen, Ginny glared at her husband. "You see, Harry Potter? If you would've woken up earlier you could have had breakfast with Teddy and I and my mother wouldn't be preparing a lecture about how to keep your husband satisfied."

Harry's eyes widened behind his glasses. "…You didn't wake me up."

"And now it's my fault?" Ginny snorted. "Hermione, come with me please. That way Molly won't yell."

"—Close call, mate."

"—You should consider telling Lavender like you did Luna, Harry."

Watching as the two women disappeared into the kitchen, the Boy-Who-Lived scowled annoyed at his best friend as George looked all-knowingly as soon as the women disappeared. "Really, Ron? _Really_?"

Ron looked nervously at Harry, shoving a sweet into his mouth. "It 'ort uff 'lipped out, 'ate."

George smirked evilly. "Can't keep anything from me, Potter." Cracking his fingers as he handed his brother another sweet, George leered grandly. "Now, since we're kicking-ass, and I am known to be bloody good at that, when do I get my Auror title?"

The Chosen One narrowed his eyes, dreading not to be right on what George was thinking.

But as soon as the last remaining half of the Weasley-twins caught sight of that bit of doubt in his eyes, George left it perfectly clear for the Head Auror. "I want an office with a loo inside and a giant sign that reads: George Weasley; Wicked Auror and Sexy Man."

** X**

"You're late."

Walking into his office with a stack of papers, robes scattered and messy, Draco Malfoy glared at the person seated on his chair; looking like they owned his desk with that look of superiority burning in their eyes. "Didn't know I was being timed or monitored."

"We keep our entire ex-Death Eaters monitored, Mister Malfoy," the dark man on the chair said, leaning back casually and eyeing the Auror with such calmness that he knew he was igniting a flame of fury in the blonde man before him. "Certainly you must know that." A finger was pointed at Malfoy's pale arm, where the sleeve of his robe was rolled up. Exposing that mark that reminded the world of who he used to be—of what he did.

"You have three seconds to get out of my chair before they find you missing," Draco snapped threateningly, lowering his work on his desk as he stared at the man across from him. "Don't think I won't hesitate to do it. Just because some people find you important doesn't mean I do."

"You're no fun," Blaise scoffed, spinning the black-leather chair as his best friend continued to frown. "I come to visit you and your little minions tell me the great Mister Malfoy is off running some errands like a common worker. And not one—_not one_—offered me a glass of Firewhiskey. You have terrible service, mate."

Flicking his wand towards his fellow Slytherin, Draco made his chair stop spinning and his friend's neck to sway, making him look like an idiot with a bad tick. "We are not a pub, Zabini. We're here to work and solve cases. And unlike yourself, I don't spend half of my working-day on my ass, hoping to Merlin that my wife will come in and do me on my desk. There are much more time-consuming things to do, but it must be bloody easy for a corporation owner, right?"

"_Oi_!" Blaise scowled, getting off the chair and shoving Malfoy a step to the side as he passed him to get to the empty, dull chairs across and rubbing his neck at the same time. (If he was still stiff by the time he irritated Draco so much and he got kicked out, Blaise was heading straight to that muggle spa where they made him feel like a god after a nap.) "I resent that, mate. It _is_ quite fulfilling when Cho shows up and I dismiss my workers so the boss can handle serious matters. That way they all know that I am in charge."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at the dark man. "How does your company survive?"

"Everyone loves me," Blaise shrugged casually, his teeth gleaming a pearly-white as he grinned.

"It's a good thing you're here," Draco interjected rudely, but still making the man grin more at his words. (Oh, it was always a happy day when Zabini got to hear Draco say he cared.) "For the past couple of weeks I've been getting owls from Goyle, but none with an actual message. Until now."

"Goyle?" Zabini asked, distracted slightly as his best friend handed him an envelope. "We haven't heard anything from the prat since the Thomas' wedding the summer after our Seventh Year." He snapped his fingers quickly, with a bright smirk. "He heard I'm doing quite well, eh? Bet he wants to borrow a few galleons. He can't possibly be keeping Padma Patil happy; she was always such an expensive witch."

Malfoy rolled his silvery eyes, sighing. "He married Parvati Patil, Blaise."

"Different name, same person," the dark man waved it off, opening the letter.

_Malfoy,_

_It has been a while, hasn't it, mate? I'm sorry for the disappearance all those years ago. For never saying farewell properly, or even keeping in touch after all these years. I hope your children are doing just fine and that Granger hasn't driven you into the loony-bin after all this time. I doubt it, though. You were very much in love last time I saw you. I really hope that is still burning brightly._

_Now, to be direct_—_I need a favor. I do know that you've made yourself a good career in the Auror Department and that you're practically second-in-command if it wasn't for Weasley trailing behind Potter after all these years. But I suppose if I was married to Pansy I'd make sure I was ranked high too. _

_Anyway, I need to know how well your protection program is, for children. How well are they protected after the deaths of their parents, where they go, and who qualifies to adopt them if they end up in an orphanage instead of with any surviving relatives._

_Hope you can assist with information without any questioning._

_G. Goyle. _

"Whoa, Drake."

Malfoy nodded slowly. "…I know."

"Who knew Goyle could write, yeah?" Blaise laughed loudly, reminiscing about the times Crabbe and Goyle used to get frustrated when they tried reading their books from First Year. (Oh, how they failed their O.W.L's and the entertainment that that gave Blaise for months.) "All those fancy words. You know the sorting hat was spot on when he tied him to that Ravenclaw. He's more articulate now than ever—bravo to Parvati, bravo."

"Not the writing, you thickhead! The bloody message within!" Draco hissed, snatching the envelope back. "And, once again, he is married to Parvati, the _Gryffindor_ twin!"

Blaise raised his dark brow, his emerald eyes looking suspicious. "Well, who would've known you were paying attention after all these years? I don't ruddy care what twin he married, just if he managed to get them both. Salazar knows I had trouble identifying them back in Fifth Year. A bit reluctant at first, but both got around to keeping Blaise happy."

"How are you not infected with something, I will never know."

"I check up with my Healer monthly," Zabini smiled happily. "He's been looking after me since I was two. Great bloke. Always gives me a sweet."

Subduing a frustrated curse, Draco spoke through his teeth in order to keep his anger controlled. (Living with an idiot like Zabini as a best friend was just a curse that he learned to deal with, and those breathing-exercises Hermione taught him really did pay off at the end.) "Why would Goyle be interested in knowing about protection the Ministry provides for the children that are left orphans? If I recall, Goyle and Parvati are owners of a restaurant in Australia. There's no need for him to need that kind of private information from the Ministry."

"Maybe his brats are doing a project," Blaise shrugged. "Honestly, mate, how can you not be shocked that Goyle is _writing_ to you? Wait— he owns a restaurant? How come I haven't been invited?"

Feeling like colliding his head with his glass desk repeatedly, Draco submerged another curse. "...It's in a muggle region, Blaise."

"Ugh, nevermind," the dark-skinned man made a sour face, remembering the time he gave up a house-elf made dish to eat tacos in muggle London a year ago. "I don't want to end up kicking the cauldron surrounded by muggles like Finnegan did."

Draco dropped the irritated expression to look blankly at the Slytherin.

"Too soon?" Blaise mumbled shamefully.

_Knock. Knock._

"Mister Malfoy?" The glass door of Auror Malfoy's office opened lightly, clear eyes looking inside shyly. "I've got the copies of the report you asked me to get from the Head Auror."

"Potter's here already? Took him all morning," Malfoy grunted. "Come in," he added, signaling for his secretary to march in.

"Miss Rowle!" Blaise practically fell out of his chair as he scurried out of it, hands fixing the wrinkles on his black blazer as he attempted to look sharp for the young witch. "How lovely to see you! Looking beautiful as always."

Tanya looked skeptically at the man. "Mister Zabini...didn't recognize you. How are you?"

"I've been working out," Blaise said with a little giggle.

The secretary tried to hide an awkward expression. "Erm...I actually referred to the fact that you are wearing pants this time."

Draco smirked brightly at his secretary, enjoying the cocky expression crumbling from his friend's face. "Don't get used to it, Tanya. He always manages to find a way not to wear his trousers."

"It gives me courage and a grand sex-appeal," Zabini snapped, patting down his expensive clothes. "You would be surprised to know the amount of blokes that have trouble getting undressed in front of people. It just shows that _I_ am incredible in bed and that I have no trouble expressing myself sexually."

Catching the light purr his friend threw at his secretary, Draco pulled on his annoyed expression on his pale, pointed face again. "Unless you are going to start sorting out my mail, Zabini, I suggest you bugger off to another office or department. Better yet, go find Teddy and help him sort out the Azkaban files."

Blaise snorted. "Good one, mate. Like I'm going to be doing manual labor for the Ministry without wages. _Ha_. I'll go find Potter, there's something I want to run by him." Waving at his best friend, throwing a wink at the secretary, Blaise marched with his swag towards the door, shimming his hips along the way.

"…Charming man," Tanya said, brows furrowed as Zabini gave a hip-thrust outside the glass walls of her boss' office. "—Mister Potter wished me to inform you that he's moving the location of the recent cases from their original location. He seemed a bit worried that someone might try to take them."

"Have you sent Mrs. Finnegan the information of her new vault in Gringotts?" Malfoy asked after he nodded, taking the report his secretary handed to him.

"Yes, sir. She was reluctant at first to accept it, but since her son and she will be out of Britain for quite awhile, she figured it was the best thing to do."

_Lucius Malfoy_—_Death Eater; murdered_

_Seamus Finnegan_—_Former D.A member; murdered on the outskirts of London._

Draco stared at the last two entries of the list the Aurors were putting together. His chest felt odd, almost heavy. Like if there was an undying pressure seeping into him, making his blood run a little thicker. His conscience was gripping him inside, making him feel like the names were written in blood and flesh; like there was more guilt combined into their deaths than he could have expected. He felt his dark mark burn, signaling to him that there was evil behind this.

_Kevin Goldstein_—_Ten year-old son of deceased Anthony Goldstein; murdered _

_Zoe Smith_—_Fifteen year-old daughter of Zacharias Smith; tortured and murdered. (Died in muggle hospital.)_

"They're just children." Feeling a cold palm on his shoulder, Draco flicked his gaze up to see his secretary looking intensely at him; her see-through green eyes appearing worried and understanding for the silence that had taken over him as he looked over the report. She was stretched over his desk, just looking at him, making him feel colder and frozen in his seat. "You're afraid, I can tell."

"They will kill anyone," Malfoy responded, his voice almost cryptic as he continued to stare at the dark-haired woman. "My children, even."

Adding force onto her grip on his shoulder, Tanya Rowle nodded. "They will." Her tone was blank, almost like if there was no use to try and pretend that wasn't the case. These people were going to go after everyone, and they wouldn't stop for the young ones. They were ruthless murderers, no point denying that. "Your daughter won't survive the shock her body went into, Mister Malfoy. She will be comatose forever."

Not being able to blink, captivated by the transparent color in his secretary's eyes, Draco nodded once to her statement. His skin went rigid, his muscles tight against his flesh, senses dropping, his heartbeat slowing down inside his chest; barely even feeling it.

"…You will solve the case soon, Mister Malfoy, and it will all be over." Whispering to the blonde man, Tanya reached a white hand to the side of his face. Tracing the back of her knuckles onto his skin, watching him as his metallic-eyes looked fixated into hers. "It will all be over soon."

And with a blink of her eyes, Tanya settled herself into her chair once again, her quill in one hand and her parchment ready to take notes.

"Have you sent Mrs. Finnegan the information of her new vault at Gringotts?" Draco asked, feeling like the room filled with color again. Like that pressure he had felt seconds ago was just a figment of his imagination.

Tanya waited until Auror Malfoy went back to looking over the report to answer, a grin stretching on her pink lips. "Yes, sir. She was reluctant at first to accept it, but since her son and she will be out of Britain for quite awhile, she figured it was the best thing to do," she repeated like she had done before.

Oh, the weakness of the mind—no one ever suspected a thing.

* * *

**AN: D U N. D U N. D U N.**


	14. Clueless Hearts

**Chapter Fourteen**

She didn't know how she got there—breathing in heavily, shoulders rising up and down forcefully, enraged, fuming with fury and the need to murder as the people around her stared petrified. All of them gaping at her as her insides screamed_ kill, kill, kill. _

"Miss Weasley?"

Lifting a palm to her face, wiping away excess of potion off of her now wet face, Rose took a heavy inhale as she looked at the Professor. Her infuriated brown eyes taking in the man, almost as if her gaze was twisting his thick figure, crumbling his stupid hat and shoving it far inside a dragon's mouth and tossing him inside to go and find it. "Yes, sir?"

Horace Slughorn swallowed a lump of nerves, staring calculating at the redhead as she practically hissed at him. "You're excused, Miss Weasley. Feel free to go clean yourself, you can turn in the assignment next lesson."

"Thank you," Rose said through clenched teeth, turning around to her right to look at another redhead looking disturbed as the class hurried back to their assignments; acting like they didn't see her and her dripping anger. "Take my bag to the common room, please."

"Sure," Roxanne Weasley replied to her cousin. "You know, Rose, I can take away points if you'd like...I can wait at the proper moment and drain all the emeralds." She offered, hoping that that would wipe away some of the bubbling anger in Rose's eyes, but instead it got a chuckling noise from both sides of the chamber. "Shut up, Fred," Roxy retorted, turning her neck slightly and glaring at her twin brother.

"Sorry, Roxy, but for being a stuck-up Prefect, that would be wickedly awesome."And partnered up with Fred, James Potter looked casually at his cousin. "We'd be very surprised if you used your power to cause havoc among houses. I mean, you practically wrote the handbook of Prefect Etiquette with Uncle Percy."

"Excuse me to be proud of my achievements, Potter," Roxy snapped, chucking a ball of parchment at the dark-haired Gryffindor. "I'm the only one that has made Prefect since Victorie's days at Hogwarts. If you pathetic lot actually put half as much effort in your lessons and marks instead of trying to rule the castle and make the lives of the people you don't like miserable, there would be shiny badges on your robes too, idiot."

James smirked grandly, winking at Roxanne just to infuriate her that her words went into one ear and came out the other.

"Just bring my bag to the common room, will you?" Rose made her presence noticed again, whispering harshly at her family. And as soon as she received a quick nod from the twins, who knew not to mess with her when she was in a murder-spree, and a roll of eyes from James, Rose tried to give them a smile. "Thank you."

"—I know you're not the smartest witch in the cauldron, Weasley," and just before the redhead could turn around and walk out of the classroom, the girl was met with the gaze of the devil. "But the potion is supposed to go _inside_ the pot, not on you."

"This is all _your_ fault!"

Staring unmoved by the red on Rose's cheeks, her hyperventilating chest, and grinding teeth, Scorpius Malfoy smirked at her. "I suppose it is," he sighed mockingly eyes drifting down to the liquid oozing down her front. "But then again, I am not your nanny, Weasley. And I am not daft enough to have _you_ as a partner, I need to work with someone who has the same intellectual level."

And as he leaned back on his seat, a dark-haired witch turned her head towards the fuming redhead. "Oh, my. Rose, do you need help washing that off?"

"_No_," Rose snapped, feeling sickened by the sweet, caring tone in the girl's voice. "I think you and Malfoy did enough already, actually."

Lana McLaggen raised an eyebrow, bewilderment pooling into her beautiful expression and emerald eyes.

"Ignore her, Lana," Scorpius said softly, putting a gentle palm on her shoulder. "Rose tends to let out her anger on everyone." Giving her a pat like she was a cat, the Slytherin turned away from his house-mate to look towards the Gryffindor girl. "She had nothing to do with your stupidity, Weasley. Don't blame people because you can't brew a potion. Not that I'm surprised anyway, your genetics don't provide you with much to begin with."

Balling her hands into fist, Rose scowled with all her might. "Your mother may be the brightest woman that has ever lived, but I am pretty sure she had you with a Dementor, you evil bastard."

Storming away from the aggravating blonde, Rose felt more anger seep into her skin as she heard Lana ask if she was alright, only receiving a 'Forget it, Lana, Weasley is as demented as they come' from Malfoy.

Rose honestly didn't know how she ended up in the place she was at—not the part where she is covered in a failed attempt of the Truth-Telling Serum, but loathing Scorpius Malfoy with every fiber of her being. She knew the feeling was mutual, but she just couldn't understand _why_. Sure, they weren't related, but his mother and her father were practically family, they grew up together for Dumbledore's sake, and yet, the hate was unavoidable between her and Scorpius.

She tried controlling it most of the time, tried pulling out that respect-everyone card her grandfather Arthur is so fond of, but keeping the peace with Scorpius was harder than getting her father to fit into his Christmas sweaters. And truth be told, a part of her didn't honestly _want_ to try and get along with the white-devil. But in a corner of her heart, somewhere dark and mysterious, she felt like she needed to put up with it, like she would be rewarded in the end.

"—What happened to you?"

Turning from the piles of clothes she was leaving in the corner, Rose found a tall, dark-haired student looking at her with an eyebrow raised high. "_Malfoy_ happened," she hissed, loosening her ruby and gold tie as she found the wet material sticking to the skin of her neck. "I went to get a few more ingredients for my potion, when I know that the prat slipped something into the cauldron before I went back to my desk. He was smiling too brightly for my taste. That should've tipped me off, but instead I offered him a bit of my lacewing flies."

"Alright, alright, calm down, Rose."As the redheaded witch yanked on her tie, practically strangling herself, Damien McLaggen approached the girl; his hands racing to removed hers from herself. "You'll suffocate yourself and won't get to take revenge on that git."

"I don't want revenge, Damien!" Rose grunted angrily, looking up to the ceiling of the ancient castle as he undid the knot of her tie. "I just want Malfoy to get eaten by a Hippogriff! I want him gone so I could live my life without walking out of my lessons drenched in potion that smells like sewer water!"

Rolling his eyes at the younger girl, Damien put his palms on either one of her shoulders. Lightly moving away the strands of silk-straight red hair as he looked deeply at her face. "You're still adorable, Rose," he smiled. "Even covered in potion and completely irritated."

Flicking her brown eyes at the Sixth Year Slytherin, Rose stared blankly at the boy. "...Thanks, Damien."

"No know how much you mean to me." Stretching his smile a bit more on his face, McLaggen leaned down towards the redhead, his eyes closing just as hers was.

Their lips moved together in an unfamiliar, unrecognizable way. Almost like if their mouths had not been adjusted to their likes already. Even though it hadn't been the first time they had shared a kiss. It was still a bit uncoordinated, teeth clanking with each other, tongues too deep, foreheads bumping— but even though it was a disaster all the time, Rose couldn't bring herself to stop.

"—_Ow_." But luckily for the confused girl, loud footsteps on the corridor floor separated her from the Slytherin. "I can't believe this happened to me."

"Can't believe we managed to boil the potion _that_ high." With a slight sneer in his face, Scorpius paused his teasing as he reunited with the fuming redhead again; this time with her little travel dog as well.

"Lana?" Stepping away from Rose, Damien moved to the girl in Malfoy's arms. "What did you do to my sister, Malfoy?"

"Damien, _stop_."At first a little skeptical of the intrusion and venom in Damien's tone, Lana frowned at her brother as he shoved Scorpius to the side. Moving his massive self towards her, taking her by the shoulders as if he was about to go flying through a group of Chasers in the Quidditch pitch and she was the quaffle. "Scorpius was just escorting me to the Hospital Wing, I burned myself with the brewing potion."

"You don't need help from this idiot, Lana," McLaggen hissed, throwing a glare at the blonde. "We will never owe you anything, Malfoy." Was what he said before dragging Lana down the hall with him, silently hissing at her about the debt that she could have put them in.

Not bothered by McLaggen's attitude, Scorpius just stood there. That forever smirk on his handsome face. "Your boyfriend has a bit of attitude, doesn't he?"

"I thought you fancied Lana McLaggen, Malfoy," Rose ignored the blonde's remark, throwing hers in fast enough to prevent him from continuing on. "But I suppose no one is safe from your wrath, right? Poor, stupid girl. She was just trying to figure out how to brew a potion and your burned her."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Jealous, are you,darling?"

"Of you?" The redhead looked skeptical, snorting at the Slytherin Fifth Year.

And taking a slow step towards her, the boy grinned lightly. "Of _her_."

"…Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy, I have Damien. Not every girl in this castle is attracted to you," Rose muttered, distracted of her anger as her heart picked up in rate. "Damien's a fantastic bloke, despite what you and my cousins think. He treats me wonderfully."

Keeping his lips pressed together for another few seconds—just so he wouldn't vomit from the disgusting lies and images the girl was giving him— Malfoy was now standing an inch from the nervous-looking Gryffindor. "I reckon, Rose, that you're _naive_ enough to fall for McLaggen," he whispered, a glint illuminating his silver eyes to sparkle dangerously. He stretched his fingers, gripping a loose strand of her inflamed hair. Just twisting it in his fingers as he looked at her; already seeing her about to go into a fit. "All he needs to do is mutter a few words...smile at you...hold your hand...tell you that you're beautiful…" He dropped the strand of hair, moving his left hand to her face.

Feeling the surprisingly warm skin of his fingertips on her face, Rose felt her soul flutter inside her chest. It was strange, almost like tiny bolts of electricity were making her skin come to life, to ignite every cell in her body. There was a need inside of her, almost bringing her to tears—making her feel relieved, like she had been waiting for too long.

With a piercing gaze still on the redhead, Malfoy moved his hand to her neck, pulling her forward gently.

She was so close to him now. So much that she started feeling lightheaded. She could feel his breath on her nose, smell the scent of mint he had, of something cold but irresistible. Could sense the warmth from his chest, see the light grey in his eyes that always looked so stormy from a distance.

He parted his lips, slowly lowering his mouth to hers, eyes closing as hers fluttered to do the same. "...You're too easy to mess with, Weasley."

And just as the shivers raced up her spine, Rose's fury reappeared as the blonde student pulled himself back ten steps; a large leer playing on his annoyingly-handsome face.

"You're a foul, evil bastard, Malfoy!" She hissed, whipping out her wand from her wet pocket. "You know nothing about me, and next time you get close to me, I will hex your tiny manly-bits off!"

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

"Oh, but I _do_ know you, Weasley," Malfoy sneered as he heard the bell ring across the ancient walls of Hogwarts, not paying any importance to her burning wand-tip. "I know that you are so desperate for love that you'll hold on to anyone who is willing to give it to you. You're afraid to end up alone. You're thick enough to make yourself believe that you have feelings for McLaggen, only just to have something to show. "

"—Rose? You didn't go change?"

And just as the shuffling of shoes, grunts of aggravation, and laughter started filling the corridor from the students exiting their classrooms, Malfoy smirked at the redhead again as her cousin appeared before them, carrying Rose's belongings.

"Best be off, I got to check on Lana." Waving a mocking palm at the girls, Scorpius turned away from them. Knowing that he gave Rose Weasley a thing or two to think about— his revenge for ever thinking that she knew what truly lies inside of him.

** X**

"Don't look at me like that." Flinching away from the blank stare on the brunette's face, Savanna Zabini looked at her surroundings before speaking again. "Oh, come on, Ana, you had to have noticed. It was very obvious, clearer than the crystal-balls in Trelawney's classroom."

Rolling her eyes, Ariana looked around her as well, just to make sure there wasn't any eavesdropping Gryffindors in their house-table. And just as she saw that the coast was clear, she aimed a quick look at a girl sitting a few people away, her brown eyes looking at the plate of untouched dinner as she tried to blend in with the background. "She's been upset for a while, Savanna, maybe it's that time of the month."

Savanna frowned. "I'm being serious, Ana—_look at her_. That has to be more than a few cramps. And besides, she had hers weeks ago. She can't possibly have hers again, she's irregular."

"And how in Merlin's name, do you know that?" Ariana asked, raising her eyebrow in a slight discomfort. "Have you been reading her journal again? She will murder you if she finds out, and I'm not saving you from that anymore. I mean, you would think that the curse she put on it would tip you off to _not_ go near it, but then again—"

"Her mum's a Healer, Ana!" The Ravenclaw among lions shouted, ruining her whispering-to-be-sneaky-and-mysterious routine she had going on. "She talked about menstrual cycles when we were ten, remember? She told us that Roxy was irregular and that might happen to us—-but that's not the point," she muttered furiously. "Roxy's been in a depression for the last couple of days. We'll be going on holidays soon, and that always cheers her up. She packs for days, but word around the girls lavatory is that she hasn't even began to pack."

"The holidays are still ages away, Savanna. Besides, even if your theory is correct, what can we do about it? It's sort of impossible to get the object of her happiness back."

Grunting because she knew the Gryffindor was right, Savanna rolled her eyes to herself. "Who would have guessed it, Roxanne Weasley in love with Dash Finnegan."

Spooning her mash-potatoes, Ariana turned discretely towards Roxy; watching her faraway gaze, the lack of interest in her usually smiling face. Perhaps the Fifth Year _did_ fancy Dash, and Ariana can't begin to imagine the pain she must have felt when Finnegan packed his trunk and left Hogwarts. It was already hard to fancy someone, to have those undefined, magnificent, complicated feelings for a person when they were nearby. But when they were far, how do you do that? When you can't let the emotions out? When they just bottle up inside of you? Torturing you because you have no one to give them to?

Ariana looked back up, towards the Slytherin table, finding it empty from those she knew.

She supposed love is just a complicated thing. She was thirteen, too young to even know what it must feel like, but she is the smartest thirteen year-old anyone could ever come across. She knew that love was just a powerful feeling, incapable to contain, to express even, but that it brought joy to peoples hearts—or destroyed them. She wasn't sure if she was willing to put herself in the position, _ever_. She was so used to being the ruthless one, of being a solitaire piece of the collection of humans in the world that were impossible to reach; impossible to hurt.

"Hello, girls, good night, yeah?"

"Potters, Weasleys," Savanna mouthed, irritation appearing on her dark face as the Gryffindor table suddenly started getting fuller than before. She coughed lightly, aiming a look at her best friend, but one of Ariana's house-mate got in her way before she could plead the girl for them to leave.

"You look upset, Sav, everything alright?" Fred asked, smiling at the younger girl as he finished throwing a spoon at his twin, signaling Roxy for her to come and join them.

"…I'm fine," Savanna grunted, rolling her eyes openly to the people around her.

"Are you sure?"The boy asked again.

"Of course she's not, Fred." Reaching for a plate full of delicious-looking dinner, right down from the steak and potatoes, James Potter smirked at his redheaded cousin. "You keep calling her Sav, and we all know Zabini loathes that little pet name." He purred, pretending to claw as the Ravenclaw's face grew more irritated. " Sav sounds like a kitty, _meow_."

The Ravenclaw girl frowned, not amused. "Kitty, your mother, Potter!"

"—Oi!" Peeking her little head through the massive crowd, Lily scowled at the dark-skinned girl. "Don't be talking about my mother, _Sav_. Not unless you want me to tell you how your mother reminds me of a female dog."

"_Lily_!" Louis gaped as Savanna's jaw dropped, forming the perfect hysterical 'O' shape. "No, no, lad. We do not go around insulting each others mothers, remember? Chapter three, paragraph two of our Weasley/Potter Family handbook."

"There's no handbook, Louis," Dominique interjected, looking proud as Lily picked up a thing or two from her in the previous summer. (At that rate, Dominique knew Lily Potter would become the prodigal girl of the family once she graduated Hogwarts. ) "Rule number three on the Weasley/Potter girls list, always defend your mum, Lily. Remember that, love."

Louis frowned. "If there's not a family handbook, then there really isn't a book for you psychotic lot."

"Oh, but there is," Dominique and her little redhead cousin smirked in unison. "Grandmum Molly keeps it locked up in that trunk she won't let Granddad Arthur in. The same one she cursed Uncle George when he tried breaking it open."

"You seem awfully quiet, Ana, are _you_ alright?" Fred asked, cutting in again as Savanna fumed the more and more his family talked.

Feeling the slow gazes turning to her, Ariana Malfoy cleared her throat as she was almost caught dazing off into a shade of green that always captivated her. "Have any of you seen my brother? My mum sent me an update on Demi and I just wanted to share it with him." A couple of eyebrows rose. "I _need_ to pass it on to him, alright?" She corrected, annoyed that they would think she was being considerate about her brother.

"Hannah gave Scorpius and Angelo detention, Ana." Making the girl turn a light shade of pink, Al continued on oblivious to the change in the girl. "We were on our way to the Great Hall from the library when we saw Joseph Flint shoving Peyton to the floor when, well you know, we attacked back. Zabini gave Flint a pig's tail, and your brother broke his nose as I tried holding my cousin back. Peyton can be really revengeful, you know?"

"Of course he is, Aunt Pansy is mental," Lily added, smiling as she felt a warm connection with that dark-haired woman. Evil just suited their family well. Despite how much her Grandparents tried to tell the Third Generation that revenge and cruelty is never a method to live by, the kids found their lives a bit more cheerful when they whack a couple of people.

"Chances are they won't be leaving the Headmistress office until curfew," the Slytherin Third Year finished.

But being the oldest, and a bit more sharp than Al, James saw the blushing in the Malfoy girl's cheeks; the way she scooted her body back as she looked at his brother from across the table. "How is Demetria, Ana?" He pretended to be loss of appetite, turning in an angle and putting a palm on her shoulder.

"...No sign of changes,"Ariana mumbled, a knot forming in her throat as she imagined her blonde sister in that glass crib in St. Mungos. That haunting image became more dominate now, almost as if she couldn't remember the two year-old in her always-constant bubbly state; with her hazel-eyes always glittering with life as she was the ball of hope in their family. "Dean has taken my sister's case into his personal care. Attending to her, trying to find some remedy, even a muggle case that could help Demi's...but nothing. There is no explanation. Only theories that the magic affected her brain waves to the point that they won't respond..."

"Oi, none of that, Malfoy." Shaking his dark hair, James moved his hand towards Ariana's face. Grabbing a hold of her chin as she turned away from them, that silver in her eyes becoming wet. "Don't go feeling bad about what happened to your sister, alright? Because if you do, then you are giving out a sign to the world that you are truly mourning her loss; that you believe she won't ever get better...Remember how she always has been, full of life and owning all those ugly babies at the park."

Ariana smiled and James glowed.

"Whoa, mate, who knew you could actually console someone?" Louis teased, eyeing James and Ariana carefully. "That made me feel better. Now I even got something to tell Victorie. Poor girl has been roaming about the house all faulty. Mum's tried to get her to focus on her studies, to be the best Healer since Aunt Angelina, but it seems like Vicky was a little too dedicated to Demi."

"Of course she would," Dominique snorted, feeling aggravated out of nowhere. "Victorie tries to play cottage with Teddy, just like mum and dad. She thinks she's already married to the bloke, and she fancied to act like Demi was their baby. It sickens me."

Fred furrowed his brows at the Seventh Year Gryffindor. "How do you know that, Dom?"

"Read her diary," the curvy redhead shrugged, and Ariana threw her an eye-roll. "What? Well it's her fault, she's a complete dunce. Who leaves their diary tucked underneath their socks? Obviously that's always a place to hide your belongings, it's not my fault she can't even hoodwink a troll." She looked down at her plate, stabbing her fork into her steak. "...Perfect Victorie, _ha_."

"...Anyway," James coughed, looking away from his cousin after giving her a suspicious look. (Like he didn't know Dominique was into Teddy and that she'd try to win over Victorie at any cost.) "Hogsmeade soon, want to come with me?"

The table went silent, almost like every Gryffindor present heard James Potter speak.

"...It's the first trip to Hogsmeade, James,"Ariana spoke, eyeing everyone carefully as they all looked between her and the oldest Potter. "You are aware that it's _my_ first time too, right?"

"I know," James continued, holding up his swagger and charm perfectly well. "I would just like to show you around. I know the village better than anyone else. Those people love me, and I'm sure I can get you some discounts or tell you what not to buy."

"I'll be fine on my own, Potter," Ariana said, moving her shoulder so James' hand could fall off. "I don't need a nanny. Besides, Savanna and I were going together."

A smirk tried its hardest to tug on James Potter's face, threatening to come out like his true intentions. "Even better," he said sincerely, with a smile adding to his tone. He reached for one of her hands, still only looking at her as the rest of the table eyed him. (He was a fantastic actor, and it was about time these people realized what he was capable of doing.) "...I just want to be with you, Ana. Even just for a bit, if that's alright. I don't mind if Savanna is present, I promise I'll behave."

_Bang. _

Almost like something snapped inside of her, making her skin bubble dangerously with that anger that was not used to pumping through her veins, Savanna Zabinni banged her goblet against the Gryffindors table, pulling herself onto her feet as Ariana stared wide-eyed at her. "Don't worry about me, I won't be a bother," she practically hissed, scaring other eavesdropping students into turning away. "I rather stay at school, working on my perfect academic path. Rubbish like that doesn't just happen, you know?"

"Sav—" But before Fred Weasley could begin to try and comfort the Ravenclaw, Savanna scowled at him and proceeded to leave the table. Fuming and heaving, making her bright eyes darken as she pictured James' face in her head, twisting it and aiming spells at his thick expression.

"Merlin, Freddie, you really upset her," the oldest Potter smirked as his redheaded cousin frowned at the pet-name. "So, what do you say, Ana? Come with me to Hogsmeade?"

Hiding among the background, blending in with the bodies of the Gryffindors, the Slytherin among them felt a pang of something as James grabbed a hold of Ariana's hand once more. That something burning inside of him as the girl blushed and looked fluttered at his touch.

Al never quite knew what it was—what Ariana Malfoy was about. All he knew was that she was made up of something so enthralling, almost bewitching. She had the most unique shade of gray living in her eyes, a color that was more magical and enchanting than what he had ever seen. Her silvery eyes were almost considered white; so light and glowing. They were intense enough to keep you glued to them, enough to scare you into a panic whenever they were infuriated. Her hair color was soft, a bouncy caramel color; like her parents genetics mixed perfectly together to create her. And when she smiled...

Albus blinked in time to watch Ariana tug on a smile, a radiance taking over her pale features as he missed what his brother said to make her glow.

He was young to know what love actually was. Thirteen wasn't even enough to consider him an experienced teenager, but Al knew that there was just something. A feeling that had him scouting the halls for Ariana whenever he could. Sparks of excitement that seeped into his system when there was a class between the Third Year Slytherins and same rush that had him staring at her from his desk, gazing off into his personal desires as he watched her play close attention to her lessons.

"_Please_?"

Ariana's silver eyes flickered away from James for a tiny second, casting her stare towards the boy sulking behind Louis; the only Slytherin she could handle. She looked deep into Al's eyes, asking for something silently. Almost as if she was expecting him to rescue her, to jump up from his seat and say something. "...Alright, Potter."

But with Albus Potter, she has just learned that she would drown—he would never throw her a lifeline and rescue her from the freezing water.

James grinned proudly, intertwining his fingers with the ones from the Malfoy girl and putting their clasped hands on the tabletop. "Oh, it's a great day to be a Potter, mates."

Watching as Ariana frowned, but kept her lips in a tight line, Al turned around in his seat. Looking down into his plate as he felt a few tugs in his chest, a painful lurch that made his heart sink. It was _that_ feeling that always caused him to feel hurt whenever he purposely let Ariana go that made him realize that there was something. That although he wasn't the expert in most things, and his life has yet began to takeoff, that he _knew_ that his heart called out for that Gryffindor girl. That he cared a little more than what was required for his best friend's sister; that he was in love with Ariana.

"Alright there, little brother?"

Peering up to find James' mocking brown eyes looking down at him, Al managed to pull on a calmed expression. "Couldn't be better, Jamie," he leered, learning how to get his Slytherin half take over his good side. "In fact, I'm thinking Hogsmeade is going to be bloody brilliant, I'm just excited."

"The dateless always think so, little Al," James sneered, squeezing Ariana's hand as she got up from her seat and he did the same. "But it's alright, Ana and I could spare a few minutes to show you around. But, please, don't feel like the third-wheel at anytime, alright?"

Smiling up at Ariana, Al nodded. "So kind of you, James, Ana. I'm sure Scorpius would fancy to join this tour too."

And as Ariana stormed out of the Great Hall, with a glare and a trailing James behind her, Al knew that there was a reason why he didn't know what love was all about.

He seemed to keep ruining it every time he opened his mouth.


	15. Of Strange Happenings

**Chapter Fifteen**

There was white everywhere—around the walls, on the ceiling, on the tiled floor, on the sheets, even outside the glass window. It seemed like the air had become thick and puffy, just a pale, white gas floating outside and taking up everything that used to exist. It was like having your eyes shut, except there was no darkness or funny spots of lights; it was all just a simple color.

A maddening color.

She was too small to know what lunacy actually was. The closest she had ever gotten to a dark feeling was when her brother had refused to tuck her into bed when she pouted for it. She didn't know how mentally sickening _not_ being able to think could be, didn't know how not being able to see anything but a white fog could send someone into panic. A panic that was too strong for a child to know.

"_Dem Dem_."

Twisting her head towards the sides around her, a blonde little girl stopped her crawling in the room that seemed to extend the more she moved.

"_Dem Dem._"

She forced herself into a sitting position, the tiles cold against her skin as her little legs touched them. A bit of annoyance developed in her mind when she had looked down at herself, just to see a white puffy dress on her. It seemed that wherever she was, there was no color permitted but the one of the insane.

"_Bit fussy, aren't you_?" Looking up to the sound of a voice echoing off the pallid walls, the little girl found a pair of silver eyes staring at her.

Her young heart picked up in rate, an excitement rushing into her blood stream.

The man with the silver in his gaze smiled gratefully at the girl; the same smile that he had always given her. "_Took you quite the time to find this place, Demetria. I've been waiting for you for a while now, sweetheart._"

Demetria rolled her brown eyes, little chubby arms crossing across her chest.

Stepping closer to the blonde child, just so he didn't look like a floating head, she noticed the pearly-white robes that man had on. "_Are you frightened_?"

At the question from the man, Demi practically snorted.

"_Of course not. We taught you better_." Reaching for the girl, the man smiled proudly as she outstretched her arms to him, impatient to be held. "_A bit daunting at first, but you'll get used to the surroundings._"

Resting her head against his shoulder, Demi found the same comfort as she got a whiff of the man's long, blonde hair. A comfort that made her feel like she wasn't going to go loony because he was here now, because the white no longer angered her because his arms were there to protect her. "_Grandad_."

Stopping in his path towards the further part of the never-ending grand room, those silver eyes looked back into the deep brown of the girl's. "_...There are people that would like to meet you, Dem." _Lucius Malfoy whispered to the child, a strange nostalgia filling his non-beating heart. "_Remember to be polite and remain a Malfoy at all times_."

Demi didn't know where she was going or why the white kept extending, but she knew that as long as her grandfather was there she was safe. She was cozy, almost as if she had been exhausted and she was finally getting the rest she needed. Like a headache slowly residing.

There were flashes of light crossing her mind, memories of glass shattering all around her, cries of pain somewhere echoing inside the walls of her young thoughts. It was wretched, all those flashes and fragments of memory, so she hugged her grandfather tighter.

"_It wasn't as painful as they make it see,_" Lucius whispered, his gaze hardening as he sensed the tension from his youngest grandchild. "_...It's easier than falling asleep. Something that you should know perfectly well. It was impossible to get you to rest._"

Lifting her head away from Lucius' shoulder, Demetria's eyes widened as the white ended and as a field of green started appearing and she saw other figures form.

"—_Oi, let me look at her. I was here first_." Shoving other people she didn't know, Demetria and Lucius came to a stop as a redhead marched his way towards them. A giant grin on his face as he extended his arms out to her. "_Come on now, I haven't all day._"

Mister Malfoy scowled. "_Insolent_."

"_And a true one at heart at that, Malfoy," _the redhead leered at the older man, taking his granddaughter from him and bouncing her in his arms. "_Well, you look a bit like Granger," _the young man began, looking expectantly at the girl. "_You've got the eyes, all pompous-looking and all. The hair too it seems, a massive curly mess._"

"_Fred._" Frowning at the redhead, another man appeared next to Demi. "_Be polite, alright?_"

Fred rolled his eyes. "_She's just a baby, Remus. You swear like the little bugger can understand me._"

"_She's Hermione's daughter. Of course she can, Weasley._" And just like all the sprouting people that were appearing and making her uncomfortable, wishing she was back in her grandfather's arms, a woman with bright pink hair took Demi. "_Hello there, lad_."

"_Can you begin to imagine, Dora," _the man Fred had identified as Remus spoke, smiling down at Demi as the woman did the same," _that our little Teddy has actually held this child in his arms?_"

"_Teddy's not little anymore, Remus," _the woman sighed, eyes sparkling with something that Demi could not identify. "_He's all grown up now._"

"_Yeah, and running his filthy hands on my niece, Tonks._" Fred Weasley glared at the couple around Demi, arms crossing as they rolled their eyes at him. "_I'd kick his ass if I was George_."

"—_T-Ted._" Looking at the couple profoundly and noticing the similarities that they shared with the Potters adopted son, Demi smiled. (Finally, a familiar name.)

The woman exchanged a look with Remus, sharing a moment as the little girl looked at the blades of grass moving to a side—the wind was blowing but she didn't feel it.

"_Can't believe this is heaven,_" Fred spoke again, distracting the child as she registered the fact that the surroundings were unreal. "_Never thought I'd be stuck with the two of you staring all sickly-sweet into each other's eyes. I was perfectly fine with Uncle Fabian and Sirius, they understand me._"

"_This isn't heaven, Weasley,_" Lucius interjected, walking forward and taking his granddaughter back into his arms. "_This is the intermediate of it._"

"_Clearly," _the redheaded man snorted. "_If it was heaven, ol' Lucius, you wouldn't be here._"

"_He took the killing curse for Hermione, Fred. I'm sure Malfoy deserves to be in heaven if anything. Giving up one's life for someone else is a kind merit._" Tonks defended her Aunt Narcissa's husband.

Lucius tensed up, feeling slightly revolted that the half-blood was sticking up for him. (What had death come to?)

Fred smirked. "_Bet Draco must be thrilled for that, eh? He gets his dearly beloved for more years to come and his father doesn't end up sharing the darkness with Bellatrix Lestrange._" He reached over and clapped Mister Malfoy on the back. "_I'm sure Sirius will be thrilled to see you when you finally settle down in Heaven._"

"—_Oi, Malfoy, where are you going?_"

Walking away from the small group that had assembled, Lucius turned to the direction that he had arrived from. He carried his granddaughter tighter in his arms, trying to relive the last memory he had of her. The one before he died. "_It's complicated, and I won't waste my time explaining it all, Demetria," _he whispered in a blank-tone to the girl. "_But just remember...death is peaceful._"

She was two years-old, but Demetria Malfoy was not an idiot. She had learned to understand the things around her since her third month of life. She had learned how to make people understand what she wanted or what she was about without talking. It frustrated her parents because they knew she was already fully developed, but she decided to keep her knowledge to herself. It was the years where she was the little girl, the little sister, the youngest of the Malfoys and she wasn't about to ruin that by calling out for her parents. And with that understanding, Demi didn't need to know that Lucius wasn't going to be in the real world— whenever she found it again, that is.

"_And although it is, Demetria,_" Lucius came to a stop, slowly pulling the child from his arms and putting her back onto the white floor he had found her on, "_death is not what I want for you._"

They stared at each other, the grandfather looking at the granddaughter with security, with the safety of his experience of the unknown.

"_You stay here, understand?_" He murmured hesitantly at the girl. "_...You're safe in the white until it's time._"

Demi gave a nod, her blonde curls bouncing around her tiny shoulders.

An indifferent expression took over the blonde man's face, his facade of his human personality coming to play for a few seconds. "_Remember the last thing I told you? The last time we both saw Malfoy Manor, before any of this happened?_"

She nodded again, she remembered perfectly. It mixed in with the flashes of lights and the fragments of glass she last remembered seeing.

"_...Goodbye, sweetheart_."

Demi squinted, a huge gust of fog came racing at her before she could even stretch her arms out towards her grandfather. She just watched through the thick air as Lucius disappeared into it, only the echo of his last living words to her bouncing inside her head as she went back to being nothing; the white won again and she was left rigid and frozen.

'_I won't be here forever, Dem Dem, but I'll always watch over you..._'

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"—Anything new, Dean?"

Looking away from the comatose baby wrapped in wires inside a glass crib, Dean Thomas stared into a pair of brown eyes. "No signs of movement or changes, I'm afraid, Hermione."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Hermione Malfoy looked at her youngest child from the furthest end of the hospital room. Her heart aching at the immobility the tiny body had, the lack of energy and life in the little blonde girl. "Do you think she could hear us, Dean?" She asked, swallowing the knot of emotions in her throat. "I've...I've searched and studied a few similar cases from muggle children. Some doctors believe that a comatose patient _can_ hear what's going on."

"...It's not probable," Healer Thomas cleared his throat, looking down to his chart as he refused to stare at the fleeting faith in his old friend's eyes. "A doctor can't be certain of that. Patients have visions or dreams of things while they're in their comatose state, believing that they're real because they've been shut off from the world for ages. It's not certain, but being able to hear outside the unconscious state requires mental efforts...And Demi doesn't have those."

Refusing to believe that, Hermione noticed the door of the hospital room opening. A blond man walking inside, looking paler and more serious as the days progressed. "—Draco. You're late," she said with a lack of anger she should have been feeling, but all she could see was the wires eating up her child.

"The Wizengamot had a private hearing for the break-in at Malfoy Manor," Draco replied to his wife, quickly sharing a polite handshake with the Healer and then stopping in front of Demetria's unconscious body.

"And?" Hermione asked with a bit of a shake in her palms, not paying attention to Dean as he walked out of the hospital room. "What was the verdict?"

Silver eyes gazed at the blonde girl inside the crib, the haunting image in his head that had taken over the memory of a cheerful baby pained him. Like the pale and lifeless state of his daughter was tormenting the walls inside of his tiring mind; like a reminder that they weren't as protected as the new world had promised. "They decided to keep him alive," Draco said in a hushed tone, a hesitant hand moving down towards Demetria's forehead.

"Alive?" His wife gasped, shock appearing intensely in her hazel stare. "How can the Minister keep that man alive? He was involved in your father's murder! He is guilty for putting my daughter..."Hermione stopped, her shouting halted as her husband looked up at her with a hollow expression that had been handed down by every generation of Malfoys for years. "The death sentence wasn't common for these types of situations before, Draco, but the laws have changed. How can the Wizengamot accept this, its murder?"

Moving his fingers away from the cold skin off his daughter's face, Malfoy tried to play out the plan he had developed on his way to the St. Mungos. Of the cards he was going to have to deal the Brightest Witch of the Age with when she knew about the decision the Ministry had taken. Of the lie he was going to have to feed her so she wouldn't know that they _needed_ the culprit alive incase people started dying unexpectedly again. "It feels like years, Hermione."

The brunette raised an eyebrow as her chest heaved up and down with fury. "What?"

Smiling dimly at Demi, Draco walked away from the crib and took steps closer to his wife at the end of the room. "...It feels like years since I've been with you."

Hermione swallowed hesitantly, feeling slightly dazed at the soft words the man was saying to her.

"It's mostly my fault, I suppose," Draco continued, reaching the Gryffindor and taking her warm hands into his; those gray eyes piercing their way into the dark ones of his wife. "I'm sorry I've been neglecting you."

Her eyebrow rose higher, almost threatening to jump out of her skin. (This was not the way _they_ worked. She was used to the shouting, the rude remarks, the old insults, and even the curses she would throw at him—not those whispering words that were making her tingle like she was seventeen again.) "I...I understand." Hermione cleared her throat, squeezing Malfoy's hands as they both stared into each other. "You have loads on your plate now, Draco, and I'm not one to interfere with your work. Besides, I spend most of my time locked up in here with Demi that I haven't really noticed."

Malfoy narrowed his eyes.

"I mean, as long as you're in bed when the night comes and your arms are around me...You're there when I need you, Draco, and that's all that matters." A genuine smile appeared on Hermione's face. A radiant gesture that felt sincere whenever her husband was around. It was strange, but Hermione Granger couldn't live without Draco Malfoy in her years present, her days weren't the same now. She _needed_ him. "I love you."

Exhaling, the graduated Slytherin wrapped his arms around the waist of the Gryffindor's. Reeling her in slowly as he never broke their connection, as he adjusted his body to handle the magnitude of devotion he felt for her. The same feeling that he had been experiencing for years, the same feeling he still didn't know how to fully comprehend—because she was magic, something entirely new and unknown to him and his old self.

"I love you too," he breathed on top of her lips, the gray vanishing from the sight of the brown as he leaned forward and captured her mouth into a heavenly, familiar kiss.

** X**

"Get away from me!"

Crash.

"If you would only let me—_Protego_! If you would only let me explain!"

"Explain what?!"

Crash.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear it!"

"_Liar_!"

Crash.

"I-It just happened!"

"It just happened, did it?!" With an arm raised high, a ceramic dish shaking by the tight grip it was being held by, Pansy Weasley halted her attack. "Are you telling me that I came home earlier than planned, thinking that you were at the Ministry because you said you were working until later, and I just _happened_ to find you..."She trailed off, not finishing her shout as more anger seeped into her system.

Cowering behind the kitchen table of his home, Ron kept the Shielding Charm on him as he gaped at the dark-haired woman with the weapons. "I was weak, Pans...I didn't know what I was thinking, believe me! I tried but...I'm a man, understand that."

"You've hurt me, Weasley!" Pansy shouted, not moved by his quivering lip and the fear burning in his bright eyes. "And I am not going to forgive..._or_ forget this. Ever!"

"I'm sorry, Pans," Ron mumbled miserably, pulling himself up to his feet as he kept his sad eyes on his wife. "I didn't mean to hurt you in this way...but I needed to. It's what I've wanted for weeks now, it's what I wanted and I don't regret it. I needed to feel alive."

The ex Slytherin witch glared for three more seconds, but one second extra of looking into those miserable eyes of the Weasel and her heart melted. And so she lowered her arm slowly. "I suppose I haven't made things easier for you," she sighed, an eye-roll to accompany her irritation. "I've practically pushed you into this."

Trying not to smile because he was going to survive this round, Ron breathed in easily. "I promise it'll never happen again, Pansy." He looked at her, their own special little stare igniting as he placed a round dish onto the table that was covered in fragments of ceramic. "I'll be better."

Flickering her eyes away for a moment, Pansy Weasley gritted her teeth as she saw a pile of crumbs inside the bowl. "Just...make up for what you did, Ron, and I'll let it go."

And this time, Ron smiled. "Twenty, was it?"

"Forty-five," Pansy tried not to hiss, practicing that deep inhaling Hermione had been teaching her since the first year of marriage between her and Ron. "Forty-five pumpkin pasties, love."

The redheaded man chuckled with an uncomfortable high-pitch. "Next time don't have the delivery owl from Honey Dukes leave the batch of sweets outside the door, Pans. You never know when I can stumble my way home earlier than expected."

Pansy grinned a little too forced. "I never expected my husband to eat a supply of sweets that should have lasted three weeks in one day, nonetheless one hour."

"Diets are really not my thing, Pansy," Ron shrugged, staring casually at his wife as she made her way towards him; casting spells to fix all the silverware she had broken in her rage when she apparated into the kitchen.(Oh, her face when she saw him swallowing those pasties like a troll left unfed.) "I prefer playing off the calories in Quidditch or sex."

The witch snorted. "You consider yourself so fortunate, Weasley—_don't_." She grunted when hands grabbed her by the hips, pulling her away from her cleaning path. "...I'm just trying to keep you healthy, Ron."

"I'm perfectly fine, never better," the redhead grinned, his entire face lightening up with a glow that every freckle on his skin seemed to glow.

"Of course you are," Pansy rolled her eyes again. "Molly fed you constantly, but the woman wasn't a complete idiot when she was doing it. She kept you healthy, and that's what I'm trying to do. I'm not looking for you to get muscular like Krum—" Her husband gave her a frown, but she ignored it as her eyes gleamed with evil satisfaction. "But, come on, Weasley. You're not off chasing Death Eaters and living an adventure with Potter anymore, you're growing older."

"_Krum_?" Ron scoffed, his frown still on his face as he ignored the important, rarely kind motive his wife had just reveled to him for her nagging. "You want me to look like Krum? He's a bloody pumpkin-head! You ask his wife whether she thinks that git is a good-enough husband like I am! So I might not have been an international Quidditch player, but I am quite the ruddy catch! He just—"

Silencing the ranting, pink-eared man, Pansy kissed her husband in a swift movement. She placed her arms on his tall shoulders, smiled into his mouth as he gripped her hips. Reminding her that when it came to Ron, she still had it.

"—Oh, Merlin, that's disgusting!"

Ripping their moving-mouths away from each other, the Weasleys glared as their lonely home was just suddenly invaded. "There's something called knocking, you know?"

"Is it that thing you _don't_ do when you visit Godrics Hallow?" Snorting at her brother's retort, Ginny Potter pulled out a chair from the kitchen-table and smirked at the couple as she sat. "What's with all the dishes, Pansy, I thought we were just having tea?"

Standing in the back of Ron's kitchen with Harry and Draco, Hermione noticed the light blush that crawled onto her redheaded best friend's face. "Making Ron do house-hold duties, are you, Pansy? Brilliant. Show him that the man should cooperate as well."

Turning to raise an eyebrow at Hermione, Ginny laughed to herself. "'Mione, Pansy doesn't even do her chores. Someone else does it for her."

Pansy glared at her sister-in-law as Ron made his way towards the men at the end of the kitchen. "I'm a very busy person, Ginevra. I haven't the time to come and dust around here. Muggle-homes aren't going to decorate themselves, are they? That's why I have an assistant."

"Great career choice, Pansy." Listening to the statements of the women, Harry Potter pointed around the walls of Ron's home. "No one argues that, but I'm actually going to need Kreature back."

The dark-haired woman frowned further. "You are supposed to be the Chosen One, Potter. The friend of every little creature of the universe. You can't be using a house-elf as a...as a house-elf!"

The bespectacled wizard grinned mockingly, throwing a quick glance at his wife as she rolled her eyes. "Ginny has taken it upon herself to fix up Grimmauld Place and clean out every room thoroughly. And since you've had Kreature for the past two weeks, she finally managed to get inside Regulus' room without him blubbering."

"I've set a box out of his old master's belongings and I want Kreature to pick out what he wants so I could throw the rest of that rubbish out. I want Andromeda to feel at home once I'm done with that place." Stopping as her sister-in-law raised an infuriated eyebrow, Ginny tried to keep her own easily set-off irritation quiet. "Of course I'll need...erm..._your_ expertise in decorating, Pansy."

"I've got to check my schedule, Ginny, but I'm sure I can squeeze you in," Pansy smirked, feeling smug.

"I don't understand though," Hermione interjected, stepping away from her husband as he talked Quidditch with Ron and Harry. (A conversation that she had grown used to over the years. It had been years since they were all enemies and Malfoy hadn't attempted to crush Harry in the open fields.) "Why is Andromeda finally deciding to move into Grimmauld Place? Did she have a fight with Molly?"

At the question Hermione had asked, Draco silenced his explanation of why Bulgaria's Keeper was an idiot and narrowed his eyes furiously. "...Why _is_ my aunt moving into the Black house, Potter?" He hissed in a muted whisper.

"Andromeda thinks she's getting in the way of mum and dad," Ron muttered, not giving his best friend a chance to reply. "Mum has tried to make Andromeda comfortable as possible, but blimey, Malfoy, the woman just wants to get out of the Burrow."

"Have I not explained to her the importance to keep her surrounded by people? She's in danger if she's on her own," the blonde man snapped, his silver eyes flickering up to make sure his wife was busy with the other two women. "Potter, you could've done more than gladly given her Grimmauld Place."

_Crack._

"—No, no!" Crash. "No!"

Interrupting the different discussions going on about Andromeda Tonks, a loud crashing sound exploded out in the living room of the Weasley home. The Aurors in the house pulled out their wands, moving silently towards the next room as they heard loud curses.

"—You let go of me, boy! You let go of me right now if you don't want me to hex off your manly-bits!"

"—Bollocks, you broke the lamp!" Looking aghast, Teddy Lupin held another man back with all his strength as he stared wide-eyed at the shattered lamp Pansy had gotten from her mother two years ago. "You broke the lamp! She's going to murder us!"

"I don't give a—"

"Teddy!" Lowering his wand, Harry Potter frowned at his blue-haired son. "What the hell is going on?" And as he got closer and eased into the anger radiating off the other man, the Chosen One also got a good whiff of something strong radiating off his son's clothes. "Have you been drinking?"

"He's been doing _what_?" Pushing past her brother, Ginny and Draco made their way closer to the broken lamp and the others. "You took my son drinking, Zabini?" The redheaded woman snarled, looking lethal as she inhaled the strong smell of Firewhiskey.

Noticing the fleeting comprehension in his friend's eyes, Draco leered at the dark-skinned man. "You're not going to be sleeping in bed tonight, mate. Best be finding somewhere to spend the night, because you are definitely not welcomed in any of our houses."

"_You_!" With strength that came from an angry, drunken man, Blaise Zabini managed to shove Teddy back and set himself free. "You sodding idiot, Malfoy!"

All in a very slow motion, the living room became a hectic mess: Ginny grabbed onto her stumbling son, Harry stood in front of his family; his wand extended forward, Ron's eyes widened in shock, Hermione gaped horror-stricken, and Pansy copied the brunette's expression.

_Smack._

Turning his face back from the direction it had been moved to, Malfoy scowled dangerously at his best friend. "Did you just _slap_ me, Blaise?" The man asked with a bit of mock and loads of anger as Potter cast a clear bubble between the two Slytherins. "If you're going to hit me, hit me right. Don't slap me like a little witch, mate."

"We are _not_ mates, Malfoy!" Zabini yelled, his green eyes changing into a deep black as the liquor in his blood altered his mood. "How could you not tell me?! Why did I have to go finding out by Lupin?!"

"Oi, Ted! You told him about the trip to that muggle amusement park we took?" Ron asked, clucking his tongue disapprovingly at the young wizard. "We told you not to tell, Ted!" Sighing, the redhead looked at Blaise. "Sorry, Zabini, but you get too excited, mate. We wanted to have a bit of fun, not look after you. You're a danger to the muggles when you have their cotton-candy and ride their coasters."

But just as he noticed the drunken state Zabini was, Malfoy also saw the intense rage burning inside of the usually-happy man. He saw the way he stared at him as if he could murder him, as if Draco had betrayed him. "Let's get out of here, Blaise. We'll go to a pub, talk there. My treat."

"How can you not tell me, Draco?!" Blaise ignored the offer the blonde man had to give. "I trusted you. Trusted you to keep my family—What if that would have been _me_? What if that hadn't been Finnegan?"

"Zabini, just leave with Malfoy, alright?" Harry spoke, his tone of command finding its way into the scenario as he glared at his son, already figuring out what all of this was about. What Teddy had let slip in his rounds of Firewhiskey with Blaise. "This isn't the place."

"Not the place for what?" Hermione stepped forward, tired of trying to solve the reason of Blaise's anger in the back row. "What's going on?" No response entered the silent room. "Draco?"

And, again, nothing came. Instead the Head Auror removed the shielding charm away from the Slytherins and took a step to the side as Ginny walked to him, the same question glowing in her freckly face that their friend was asking.

"She doesn't know," Blaise stated, a humorless chuckle passing through his lips. "This doesn't make it better, Malfoy," he retorted at the conflicted blonde man looking at the floor. "—They've been lying, those three. Mister Malfoy's death, Finnegan's, and plenty more have been covered up by the Ministry and made appeared to be something else. There's some demented lot out there...coming after anyone who has had any connection with that bloody organization you created in Hogwarts... D.A. members are being murdered, family members of Order of the Phoenix, and everyone mixed in with the light side."

Hermione's heart stopped, all her senses inside of her brilliant mind started clicking. Everything was making sense; she was adding it all up. She couldn't see it before, she was too focused with her comatose daughter that she never truly paid attention to the facts.

Draco looked up again, sensing the frozen state his wife had gone into, but instead he was met with the face of his best friend.

"Blaise?" Pansy called, less shocked than the other two women.

"You were all so wickedly protected, right?" Zabini spoke gently, an undefined emotion ringing in his voice. "All Aurors, all mastered to handle all of this...Well, what about my wife? What about my children?"

"You're not a target, Blaise—"

"My wife had joined your bloody club, Potter," the Slytherin interrupted the Boy-Who-Lived. "Don't tell me I wouldn't be affected." And with a _crack_ that bounced off the walls, Blaise Zabini disappeared; only leaving behind his smell of liquor.

Making his way unnoticed by the rest, Teddy stood next to Ron as the room was still thick with silence and Pansy moved to fix her shattered lamp. "Fancy a Firewhiskey, Ron?"

Ron turned slightly, scowling at the blue-haired bloke. "You've just revealed secret information about an Auror case, Teddy. If Kingsley finds out, or whatever action the Head Auror decides to take from now on, your training program can be terminated. You'll end up _selling_ Firewhiskey due to your big mouth. And I'd doubt Bill will let you near Victoire without a proper career."

Grimacing at the shove his mother had just given his father as he tried placing a palm on her shoulder and the frozen state the Malfoy couple was in, Teddy turned back to the redheaded man. "…You could have just said no."


	16. Library Romances

**Chapter Sixteen**

"And then - and then..."

_Bang. Bang._

"She went soaring and, mind you, I mean _soaring_!"

_Bang._

"You had to have seen his face, mate! Priceless."

Rubbing her temples as she watched through a thick irritation as Fred and Louis retold their latest prank to Lily and Dawn, Dominique Weasley felt her fingers twitch. Just aching to drop from the sides of her head to her wand. Ah, yes. The beautiful feel of her wand warming her hand, her wand-tip illuminating with a bright color and shooting off towards her brother and cousin's face. Their screams of pain silenced as _Petrificus Totalus _took over their scrawny, little bodies - she would jump across the table, stomp on their noses like Draco Malfoy had done to her Uncle Harry in that memory she accidentally stumbled upon in her uncle's pensieve. (Which earned her a week of awkward silences with her uncle when she then swam in his memory of his wedding night with her Aunt Ginny. Couldn't get any worse than that, eh?)

But, wait. She wouldn't stop there, no. Squashing their noses in wouldn't cut it - she would then amplify it, grab a thick needle and thread out of the sorting hat and sow their mouths tight. Just so they would never talk again. And then, she would take Louis to their mum and dad - -

_Bang. Bang._

"Hysterical, it was! Best work yet."

Startling Dominique from her evil mind and plots, she looked at Lily scowl at the pair of older Gryffindors laughing annoyingly in front of her. "We just wanted help on our Charms essay- -" The youngest Potter said, her arms crossing over her book as she frowned at the boy's in a way that looked like her mother's. "I honestly don't bloody care what you did to Filch's cat. Reality check, gits, that cat has more life than you two combined. She's not going to die, and watching you attempt to murder her is getting old."

Fred and Louis silenced themselves, confusion spreading as the two Second Years didn't even give a puff of a giggle to their idiotic story.

"I reckon there is something you lot can't seem to see for the past year, but let me enlighten you- -" Reaching to grab her giant Charms book, Dawn Thomas sighed hopelessly at her fellow house-mates. "You two are rubbish. Your pranks aren't just that good anymore, mates."

The pair of cousins dropped their jaws, gaping hurtfully at the tanned-skinned Gryffindor. "You take that back!" Louis snapped. "Our plans are brilliant, Thomas! Brilliant!"

"Mhm. Right." Giving Fred a mocking pat on his back as he seemed to be in more of a shock than Louis, Dawn turned to her best friend. "Let's get out of here, Lily. We'll have Lysander help us, yeah? I honestly can't handle any more Mrs. Norris related stories."

The redhead girl nodded in agreement, throwing her cousins a glance and scoffing at them. "Pathetic, I'm telling you, D. Now you know what I have to live with. The summers are unbearable."

"You'll regret this!" Louis shouted, his veela-features adding a sparkle to his anger as his blue-eyes furiously followed the little girls. "We are the kings of this place! We are mighty! Nothing intimidates us- -"

"- -Dominique, hello."Silencing Louis in a swift movement, making him turn pink and choked, Dominique looked up to see a Slytherin girl wave a palm at her as she made her way passed them; ignoring Louis and his gigantic smile.

"Stop waving your hand, Louis, you look like a daft idiot." Dominique grunted at her brother, frowning at his palm waving animatedly at the back of the Slytherin witch. "Who is she, anyway?"

"_What_?" Louis gasped, his expression looking astounded. Almost like his sister had just asked him who Harry Potter was or if Merlin was a wizard at all. "That's Lana McLaggen, that is!" He practically squealed, earning a risen eyebrow from Fred. "She's a Fifth Year Slytherin! Her favorite color is purple and Astronomy is her favorite subject. She's the prettiest girl in this place, of course!"

Dominique remained silent, just clearing her throat and giving her blonde brother an I-can't-believe-we-are-actually-related stare as he paused in his rambling, waiting for her to say something equally as adoring for the passing girl.

"_Lana McLaggen_!" Louis repeated as his table went silent and no one looked as interested with the subject as he was. "Oh, come on! How is it that you don't even know who she is and the girl knows you! I can't even get her to remember my first name!"

Fred chuckled loudly, almost snorting as he shook his red hair. "Mate, you can't even get her to memorize your face!" He pounded his fist on the wooden table as he laughed. "She doesn't even know you're a Weasley. She probably thinks you're this creepy fan-boy following after us, that's why she always stares at you like you're a nutter who escaped St. Mungo's."

Louis's jaw dropped, frowning at his cousin. "She knows who I am!" He defended for himself. "And I'm too pretty to be your fan-boy, Fred. So don't think too highly of yourself."

"McLaggen?" Dominique questioned to herself in a murmur, ignoring the two boys again. "McLaggen? _Humph._ Sounds familiar, but I just can't place my wand on it."

"She's the sister of that slimy git that's a little too friendly with Rose." Fred offered assistance. "Damien McLaggen, Slytherin."

"Humph." The redhead witch huffed again to herself, trying to scrutinize the name of the many people in this castle. "Oh, I got it!" She added after a face came into her mind - deep, brown-eyes and a snotty smile she used to remember of years past. "Tom Greengrass!"

The two Gryffindors eyed each other, turning to look at Dominique with confused expressions. "Who?"

"Honestly." The girl rolled her emerald-eyes. "Tom Greengrass. He was a Seventh Year three years ago. Cousin to that McLaggen girl. She caught me snogging him in a broomstick closet once after curfew. It was actually really - -"

"Shut it! Shut it!" Louis hissed, shaking his blonde hair as his sister leered at him. "I don't want you to ruin this day for me!"

"People snog all the time, Louis." Dominique said all-knowingly, crossing her arms over her chest as even Fred looked a bit put-out with her previous statement.

"Yeah, but you snog everyone!" Her brother retorted, slapping his palms on his ears and shutting his eyes tightly. "The images. The _images_." He cried dramatically to himself. "They won't go away...Must think of Lana...purple knickers..."

Rolling her eyes once more, Dominique looked around the spot in the library she was seated in. (Where she was supposed to be tutoring Fred on Ancient Runes as detention for breaking curfew, but _eh_. She does what she wants.) Her gaze flicked by all the students speaking rather loudly, others seated on top of the tables without a care, books tossed and on the floor due to the fact that old Madam Pince had the day off from her Library duties. And just before Dominique could let her mind wander off - because it was so easy to get distracted by all the bores in the castle - she noticed a familiar, muscular body disappearing into one of the aisles of books.

"Ah." A large smile appeared on Louis's face. His bright, blue-eyes opening up for view. "Lana McLaggen in her nightgown makes miracles happen, I'm good now."

"That's pathetic, mate." Fred narrowed his eyes at his cousin, crumbling the parchment that was supposed to be his quiz. "The girl doesn't even know who you are and you're daydreaming about her body. Bit psychotic, don't you think?"

Slowly picking herself up from her seat, forgetting her books and schoolbag, Dominique carefully walked towards the Restricted section of the library; her expression looking determined as she kept with her smooth pace.

Smirking to herself as she was undetected by the person that entered the aisle, the redheaded Gryffindor approached with silent steps. That leer still on her beautiful face as she extended her arms out, and then closed them around the person in a swift movement. "- -Sneaky, aren't you?"

"I saw you from across the room, Weasley." The student whispered with a deep tone. He gripped her arms, pushing them off of him as he turned to face. "I knew you'd come." Erik Krum looked down at the girl, his dark eyes piercing her green.

"You flatter yourself quite well, Krum, but don't think it'll happen often." Dominique replied, pulling her arms away from his hold. "I'm just rather bored."

Krum kept his face hard, not finding the gleam of amusement in the Gryffindor's eyes exciting. "I've got a Potions exam to worry about, Weasley." He reached into one of the shelves and pulled out a thick, old book. "I've got the first game between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor in a few weeks, I still need to plan out my strategies."

Dominique fell silent, that amusing gleam no longer there.

"As you might have caught on, I don't have time to entertain you, Weasely." He looked down at the book for a millisecond, and in the next looked back to the Gryffindor. He smiled dimly, his strong features barely showing it however as his gaze remained blank. He reached forward, his fingers touching the girl's rosy cheek. "_You_ seem to flatter yourself too much."

Through the slim gaps left by some of the missing books, a pair of colored eyes peeked through; staring as the Seventh Year Ravenclaw walked away from the girl. Watching as he left the beautiful girl with nothing but another pat on the cheek, and her pride dropping to the floor.

Dominique held her breath, something inside of her wanting to break as she no longer heard Erik's footsteps - now that she was alone. She didn't know where it was coming from, that intense poking feeling that seemed to be teasing her heart. All she knew was that it hurt, that it was more than a typical anger due to rejection. She was used to that, mind you. Used to the fact that Krum was sometimes too focused in his studies or his Captain duties to play hide-and-seek in a broomstick closet. (Which was normal for them. He studied and blew her off, she played with someone else and blew him off. It's how it worked.) But this time, this time it _hurt_.

"Krum's a straight git- -"

Spinning around, the redheaded Gryffindor was slightly startled as she saw the bright eyes peeking through the gap between the books. "What the hell are you doing hiding behind those books, Zabini?" She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring. "You complete freak."

Hearing a ruffling from the other side and five seconds later, the dark-skinned boy entered the aisle Dominique was in. "I wasn't hiding." Angelo rolled his eyes, spinning a book in his hands. "I was looking for research on my choice subject for History of Magic."

She kept her arms crossed tight, gaze still rough as she zeroed in on the title of the book. "You're choice subject is Centaur and Human Breeding?"

Angelo opened his eyes widely, looking appalled and momentarily shocked. "I...erm..." He scratched his head, taking a glance at the book. "My mum...she used to work for the Department of Magical Creatures...and erm..."

"Admit that you're following me, Zabini." Dominique snapped, not entertained by the effort the Slytherin was putting. "Next time I find you spying on me, like you did in the prefects bathroom last week, I will chop of your manly-bits and take them to the Headmistress so I can get some sort of restraining order against you."

"- -I'm just in love with you, _damn_." The Fourth Year murmured as she shoved him to the side, his dark cheeks turning red and his right shoe scoffing the old floor.

Before Dominique could storm past him, she stopped hesitantly. Her anger resided a fraction below murderous, her green-eyes looking at one of the shelves. "...I'm a proper wench to you, Zabini. How could you be in love with me?"

Heart pounding, eyes large, tingles in his stomach, Angelo felt a bit of his nonexistent Gryffindor-courage as he took careful steps to the girl. He looked at the back of her gorgeous,inflamed red hair and then went for her arm; his hand gently grabbing it. "You're beautiful from every possible angle, Dominique. You're witty, funny, and the right amount of evil any Slytherin fancies in a girl. Sure, you're a bitch, but the hottest one in this castle. Besides, you're hard to get, you frustrate me to immense depths, that's why I love you."

Not completely sure if she should feel offended or not, Dominique was turned to face the Fourth Year. "You're still a creep, Zabini, but thanks." She gave him a light smile.

"Can we snog now?" Angelo asked hopefully.

"No- -" The redhead raised her eyebrow. "But, you can have a hug."

Perhaps that is what she subconsciously wanted all along - the love someone could give to her. Just how someone who could be so dedicated to knowing everything about you, to wanting to be there every possible second, someone who just wanted to _be_ with you. It's what she was missing; _love_. But how does she get it? Who does she want it from? And is it worth it?

As the girl gave him a tight squeeze, Angelo grinned to himself as he slithered his hands down her spine, feeling the curve to her lower, lower back.

"Zabini!" Smack.

"Oi!" The boy grabbed his face. "You slapped me!"

"This is why you are not permitted to ever hug me, Zabini!" Dominique hissed. "You grab anything after a few seconds, you slimy git!"

And as she finally walked away, Angelo lowered his palm away from his face. A smirk appearing as he gave a fist pump in the air for his victory.

Oh, she _so_ wanted him and he knew it.

**X**

Looking up from the Transfiguration notes scattered on the tabletop in front of him, Scorpius frowned as he found he was the only one working. "That Herbology essay isn't going to write itself, you know, Potter."

"Erm, what?" Blinking as a pale hand was slammed on his blank parchment, Albus looked at his best friend with bewilderment as he bolted upright on his seat. Snapped away from those undefined thoughts that sunk into his head every now and then. "Ah, um, yeah. The answer's fifty."

Scorpius raised his eyebrow. "What are you on about?"

"The Arithmancy question you're helping me on." The young Slytherin flipped through the notes around them, almost knocking down a bottle of ink as he failed to register that the papers on the table were filled with Potion work. "Where's my chart? The professor's going to murder me if I lost it again. She's given me five since the term started."

"There's no chart, Potter." Scorpius scowled, stopping Al before he spilled ink all over his notes. "I'm not helping you on Arithmancy, you dunce. In fact, that's not what we are doing at all. You're supposed to be writing your Herbology essay, remember? The one Longbottom's given you two extra weeks to turn in after you failed to turn it in a month ago."

"Oh." Al breathed, trying to calm the erratic heartbeat in his chest. "Then why are you bothering me, Malfoy? I've got two weeks."

"You had two weeks thirteen days ago." The handsome blonde boy said in an annoyed tone. "It's due tomorrow."

"Damn it!" Al cursed, dropping his head hard on the tabletop.

"And you- -" Feeling like the mother of the Slytherin trio - because apparently tutoring is how McGonagall is assigning detention now to those who have no remedy - Scorpius frowned at his other close friend. "You've been sitting there for an hour, looking like an idiot. I suggest you get rid of that stupid smile off of your daft face, Zabini, before I curse it off."

Sighing dreamily, Angelo leaned on both his hands as he eyes looked somewhere far away. "Yeah, yeah."

"Son of a bloody bit- -"

"- -Language, Malfoy." Appearing before he could fully let his frustration out, Scorpius felt a thicker fury grow inside his bones as a smiling redhead pulled out the chair next to him. Clucking her tongue in disapproval, but with that sweet-air to her persona. "Mind if I sit here? All the other tables are full."

"There's a table by those Ravenclaws, Weasley." Malfoy kept his frown. " Problem solved. Now, hurry along and disappear from my sight."

"You're barking mad." Rose laughed sarcastically, aiming a glance at the table the blonde pointed at. "Lorcan and Lysander are bloody annoying when they are studying. They get upset over the tiniest thing, you can't even dip your quill into your ink bottle without them thinking you are making a racket."

Gripping his quill firmly, his fury boiling like bubble juice, Scorpius smirked at the girl with a lot of effort. "As much as I do enjoy your company, darling Rose, I suggest you piss off before I make you regret sitting down."

"Still upset about the detention, are you?" Rose smiled again. "Honestly, Scorpius, you just have to be extra careful in Charms class. Spells fly everywhere."

"I got detention because you started growing teeth the size of troll feet." Malfoy retorted, his patience wearing thin. (Especially because the witch kept smiling like she had won the war.) "Not because I felt the tickle of your Stupefying spell."

And before the girl could even comment on that, another group of Slytherins approached the table where Malfoy was trying to finish his detention and Transfiguration work. "Evening- -" The tallest one among them said, a glint of evil gleaming in his eyes as everyone looked up at him. "How's the babysitting coming along, Malfoy? Heard about the fit you throw in Charms."

Scorpius glared, the end of his quill bending as he managed to keep his face straight.

"Damien." Rose called, her tone too sweet for her nemesis ears as she ignored the interaction of the two students. "Flint, Nott." She added for her boy-toy's cronies. "What are you doing here?"

Giving Scorpius a deep-rooted glare, Damien McLaggen took a step away from his friends; to take a hold of Rose's hand. "Curfew doesn't end until an hour from now, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a stroll with me to the grounds. I've got a surprise for you."

"Yeah, he's going to introduce you to his best mate; that flobberworm pet Neville has in his greenhouse." Al muttered, piling the papers together as Scorpius leered.

Resisting to aim a good curse at the Third Year, McLaggen pretended not to hear Potter. Instead he squeezed Rose's hand a bit more tightly, and took a heavy exhale. "Well?"

"I'd love to." Rose replied, lifting herself from her seat as McLaggen took her schoolbag. "If I were you, I'd get rid of those smirks." She hissed to her cousin and his best friend as the other Slytherins marched away in slow steps. "At least Damien has me, you gits are going to end up alone forever."

"Oi- -"Snapping away from his fantasy, Zabini frowned at the redhead as he came back to life. "Dominique and I are in love, keep me away from the lonely-cauldron, yeah?"

"Idiots." She grunted, rolling her eyes and walking to her alleged boyfriend.

"Don't pay any matter to it, mates." Angelo began, his eyes coming back to focus and finding his incomplete essay to be, well, incomplete. "One day soon you'll find love like the rest of us."

Scorpius rolled his silvery-eyes in annoyance. "...What exactly is love, anyway?" He murmured, a question that was perhaps too intimate of him to ask. He cleared his throat, moving his gaze away from his work and the calculating stares from his friends to the entrance of the library.

Something inside of him released a wash of acid - James Potter had just entered with a girl attached to his hand. Looking too sappy for his liking.

"- -Hello, Scorpius." And right behind the eldest Potter was Lana her schoolbag and books she settled three tables away from the looking blonde; earning a scowl from the Thomas twins as she waved.

Not really acknowledging the girl, Scorpius resumed on his staring. He felt something inside of him that he couldn't really define when he saw the brunette smiling up at James when he spun her in a circle, completely contrasting with the tense atmosphere with their bubbly rubbish. He just watched as Potter made something in the girl's eyes sparkle, the same way Rose's eyes seemed to glow when McLaggen was around. It wasn't something profound, something that can wow you and make you change the world with one glance, but _still_. It was something.

Almost like they were in an imitation of bliss because they weren't alone.

"Come off it, Ana, we should attempt to join the animagi. You'll make a lovely bunny- -"

"- -And you want to be a mighty stag like your father?"Ariana teased, shoving her house-mate back as he tried reeling her into a hug. "And, I'm more of a lioness than a bunny, Potter."

Giving an unconscious grunt, Scorpius looked away from the sickening scene James and his sister were making.

"Bad influence, isn't he?" Without missing what his best friend was frowning at, Al swallowed a knot of feelings as he continued observing Gryffindor's new couple. (No doubt there was some very festive celebration in their common room when Harry Potter's son and Hermione Granger's daughter started holding hands around the damn castle.) "I'll expect your sister to have a fall-out now that she's dating my..._brother_."

"She's not dating your brother." Malfoy retorted, shutting his book angrily. "Believe me, if she was I would have heard about it. My father would have informed me about such disgusting union. I mean, a Potter, honestly? The girl has no self-worth at all."

Al raised his eyebrow. "..Oi."

"Nothing against you, mate." Scorpius clarified. "Anyway, the beast doesn't have feelings for anyone. A dimwitted troll like her? Not in her mental capacity. She just needs to learn how to shake off your brother, and be that girl that hated him just as much as she hates me."

"...What if she _does_ fancy him?" Al asked, envisioning them snogging at Godrics Hallow and his young heart paining for unexplainable reasons. "What then?"

Scorpius shrugged. "Finish your essay, Potter." He responded, getting up from his table and walking away. Trying not to even let the image of Ariana and Potter glued at the mouth enter his head.

And although it was very disturbing to even imagine, Scorpius couldn't help but to feel a _slight_ emotion of gratitude for the Gryffindors. They helped him see something that apparently his brilliant mind hadn't picked up yet; something that would get him a step closer to winning.

"Care for some help?"

Peering up at the sound of Malfoy's voice, emerald-eyes batted their eyelashes in a bit of surprise. "Transfiguration- -"Lana said, raising up her thick book at the blonde. "Only subject I know most about, it seems."

"You did brilliantly during Defense Against the Dark Arts too, Lana." Scorpius continued, giving himself permission to sit on the chair next to the Slytherin witch. "I don't think I could have sent a better Patronus."

"Mrs. Longbottom makes it easy, I suppose." Her cheeks tainted with pink. "I'm really sorry about the detention you got in Charms class, Scorpius. You really shouldn't have gotten it, that spell was meant for me."

"It was all rather fast, besides, Weasley is a complete dunce with her spells. I barely even felt a tingle." The heir of the Slytherin Prince confessed, recalling the real reason why he had been intensely ticked-off minutes ago. (But it was fine now, he knew why it had to happen. He was going to get Rose Weasley back, mark his words.) "I'm sort of invincible."

Lana smiled, stretching her white hand towards Scorpius's; interlacing her fingers with his. "Thank you." She whispered sincerely, her beautiful face appearing more captivating.

Scorpius smiled back partly true, something inside of him groaning at the sickly sweet moment that he was sharing with the McLaggen girl.

"I would help you, but I can't really remember much about Third Year Herbology." She giggled lightly, letting go of his fingers. "Or Fourth Year Astronomy at that." She added, aiming a quick glance at Zabini and the mini-telescope he had taken out from his robes.

"Actually- -"Scorpius took her hand, surprising her even more as she felt how soft his skin was. "I wanted to ask you something, Lana."

"Y-Yes?"

Taking the nervousness of the girl as a good sign, Scorpius smirked lightly. (The things he made all these witches feel.) "Would you care to go with me to Hogsmeade?"

"Hogsmeade?" Lana's shy smile seemed to inflate. "Sure, I'd love to."

Not allowing himself to be incredibly evil with the girl, Malfoy grinned at Lana. Feeling a new rush of excitement. "See you in the Common Room." He stood, and right before she expected him to walk away, Scorpius leaned down towards her. Pressing his lips an inch away from the corner of her mouth; something warm and respectful that made her heart flutter.

Giving her that glow that Rose has with her brother - giving him some warmth in the process.

"- -What was that about?"Al questioned with a risen eyebrow as soon as his best friend reached their table. Leaving Lana to blush to herself and Lorcan Thomas hissing at her to focus; her loud heartbeat was annoying them.

Scorpius shrugged as his friends gaped at him, Angelo looking especially impressed. "Proving your cousin wrong, Al." He leered, leaning back against his chair. Pretending like he suddenly felt less alone. "She'll never see this coming."

* * *

**AN: Hey Guys! **

**First of all, I would like to apologize for slacking off on the updating lately. I know I've been taking my sweet time and I'm really sorry. College and Life are sill going by quickly and excitingly that I get too focused with it that I forget I have other things to do. **

**I'm going to try, from now on, to go back to my usual pace of things. But, I can't really guarantee anything. My sister, friend, and I are heading to New York in about a week and we are getting everything finalized here and blah blah blah, you don't care. Lol.**

**2 quick facts-**

**1. I can't remember if I mentioned Krum before, but if I did and I called him a Slytherin, forget it. He is a Ravenclaw from now on. xD**

**2. Most of you are reviewing that the story is too dark sometimes, or depressing, and I'm sorry for that. But this story IS going to be darker than the original one. But I'll make it sappier. Promise.**

**Thanks again!(:  
**


	17. Special Access

** Chapter Seventeen**

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

It wasn't that she was upset, because she wasn't - she was just incredibly enraged.

She could feel her blood boiling inside, the way it had been doing for a couple of heated days now. It was an anger coated red. A feeling she hadn't felt since she was young and the battle of war lived inside of her; but it still pumped dangerously.

"Are you sure about this, 'Mione?"

Tapping her foot as she tried to tame that immense anger in her system, Hermione Malfoy turned to one of the witches looking at her with concern. "Humph." She just gave an attempt of a polite grunt.

"I think you are exaggerating- -"Pansy Weasley said, starring at the brunette with a growing annoyance. "I'm not saying that you don't have any right to get upset over the fact that we were being lied to, but you also don't have a right to question the reasons _why_ it happened."

"You punched my brother in the gut, Pansy." Ginny Potter inquired, scowling at her sister-in-law as she turned her concerned eyes away from the brunette. "I think _you_ exhausted your anger out."

"Taught him a lesson, didn't I?" Pansy shrugged calmly, expecting her nails as the lightening of the empty, cold hallway made them gleam. "I may have changed most of my ways for Ronald, but I am never going to let any bloke, especially a Weasley, think that he can get away with lying to me."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she kept tapping her foot; remembering the loud curse her redheaded best friend had let out when he received a strong blow from his wife. (It had been a very tensed-filled day after that.)

"Besides, Ginny, you can't act like you didn't almost hex Potter's manly-bits off." The dark-haired witch said, not looking away from her perfect manicure. "The only thing that held you back from possibly murdering him was Teddy vomiting all over my carpet - which, you still have to pay me for. That was imported Persian rug, Ginerva. A muggle, armless man did that."

"You never paid me back for the destruction Peyton made three summers ago. My garden has not been able to grow roses since." The redhead crossed her arms, looking irritated. "And Teddy received alcohol-poisoning, he had to be taken to the hospital after that."

"My baby boy was spewing magic." Pansy raised her hand higher into the light, a bit of secret glee seeping into her heart as she thought of her youngest child. "You can't blame an innocent child for something he can't control. And don't get so ungrateful, ever since that explosion you haven't had gnomes visiting your garden."

_Tap. Tap._

Hermione kept her furious tick, even as the women talked among themselves. Even though the three of them had been shocked by the truth being kept from them, she was the only one who remained infuriated. The only one who refused to look her husband in the eye even after ages of the news settling in.

How could she anyway?

He had _lied_ to her - lied to her about the important matter of his father's death; of why the Malfoy Manor was under attack. Why her youngest child was practically hanging from a thread...It was all her fault, and he refrained from letting her deal with it. And that was a mistake the Brightest Witch of the Age wasn't going to forgive so easily.

"Brought you your tea, Aunt Hermione- -"Reeling the woman away from her staring of the marbled floor of the hallway, Teddy Lupin extended a cup of tea with a bright smile. His hair especially blue, and features soft like a marshmallow. "I added some honey, just how you like it." His teeth sparkled and Hermione frowned.

"Your mother fancies her tea with honey, Teddy Remus. I prefer it alone." She replied, grabbing the teacup and handing it to the redheaded woman sitting across from her.

Teddy groaned, tossing himself down on the chair behind the grand desk the women were waiting in front of. "I'm trying here to earn your forgiveness, Hermione. Can't you cut me some slack? I'm just a trainee, I wasn't supposed to know about the case either way. I could get _sacked_ if the Minister finds out that I knew about it and let civilians know."

"And not to mention the alcohol poisoning Thomas hushed up." Pansy sneered, this time inspecting the shine to her wedding ring.

"Somewhere along your sneaking around, Ted, you should have been able to tell me about it." Hermione responded, ignoring Ron's wife. "Instead you told _Blaise_."

"Oi, what's wrong with Blaise- -"Down the hall, with the heels of expensive shoes hitting the marbled ground, a dark-skinned man made his way to the gathered group. A tall woman walking beside him, carrying a large folder and a blank expression on her pale face as they both approached majestically. The expensive, silk robes on their bodies looking important and dark as the man frowned. "He's a charming, sexy man."

Swallowing the bit of tea she drank, Ginny furrowed her brows at the couple. "Oi, what are you two doing here? You better not be planning something stupid."

"Of course they're planning something stupid." Pansy huffed at the redheaded woman as she stood up from her seat, walking towards the newly-arrived witch. "That is why I was dragged out of bed so early in the first place. To make sure the likes of them didn't show up and caused a disturbance." Glaring into the eyes of the woman, Pansy crossed her arms seriously. "What's with the files, Cho? Planning a legal fight with the Auror Department?"

Not backing down from the intense stare the ex-Slytherin witch was giving her, Cho Zabini glared with the same emphasis. "If you must know, Pansy, these are the financial records of Zabini Corporations since my husband took reign of his father's business." She turned away from the dark-haired woman to look at the one that used to be her undeclared rival. (Well, one of the two from years past.) "And not to worry, Ginny, we aren't here to cause an argument."

"Not that she can anyway, she is a _muggle_ lawyer. We don't have those here." Teddy piped in. "What?" He asked skeptically, his grey-eyes opening wide as all the women in front of him frowned. (Argh, the room was starting to fill with tension again.)

Pansy rolled her eyes and caught Cho's attention once more. "I'm glad that you and Zabini aren't here to do something daft, then. I was not going to let you two ruin Ron's career for something that Teddy let slip idiotically." She informed the couple, looking both of them in the eye. "I am not going back to when him and I first started and he attempted to run Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with George." She pulled out her wand, just to get her point across. "_I will not_."

"- -Settle down, settle down." Teddy stood, slapping on his trainee badge onto his robes as he walked away from the desk and towards the group. "Pulling out your weapon inside the Ministry, unless asked by a certified official, is against the law. I'm going to have to ask you to put you wand away, Mrs. Weasley, or you shall be escorted out of the premises."

"That's a lovely badge, Ted." Pansy replied mockingly, lowering her wand from Cho's annoyed face and Blaise's partially terrified expression. "How many tests did you have to pass in order to get one?"

Trainee Lupin cleared his throat, looking somewhat in authority as he adjusted his robes.

Laughing to herself, the dark-haired witch pointed her wand at Teddy."_Evanesco_."

"Mum!" Looking horrified as the little silver badge disappeared from his robes, the trainee gasped and stomped his way to his mother. "Mum, look! Tell her to give it back!"

"- -Oh, for goodness sake!" Snarling to herself, Hermione took the chance of Teddy's dramatic tantrum to strut herself away from her friends.

"Hermione, no!"

"Oi, Granger! Get back here!"

Ignoring the calls that Ginny and Pansy shouted after her, or the footsteps she was hearing behind her, Hermione marched towards two massive glass doors. Inhaling heavily in a quick second, breathing in enough air to ignite the flame inside of her to bust the doors open. She was tired of waiting, tired of doing nothing.

It was time.

"- -This group was selected for obvious reasons."

"And no one is being ungrateful to that, Minister, but we are just asking to have some trainees bumped up in the ranks. We can't handle the pressure of pending cases- -"

"We will not- -" _Boom_.

Startling the gathered men inside the Head Auror's office, Kingsley Shacklebolt stopped his discussion with the Auror in front of him as the doors burst open; an infuriated-looking brunette marching inside. A look of burning determination living in her brown-eyes - a look the Minister knew so well from her past.

"..'Mione?" And standing beside the Minister, Harry Potter scowled as his best friend stood inside of his office, distracting the meeting that was going on at the moment. "We're a little busy, come back later, yeah?"

"I will not come back later, Harry Potter." Hermione frowned, waving her wand behind her back and making the glass doors shut. (Not noticing when two figures managed to slither their way in before the doors locked themselves.) "I do believe I have every right to be in here."

With two fingers on his left temple, Draco Malfoy spun slowly in his seat; his faded concentration from the beginning of the meeting coming back. He pressed his lips into a tight line, restraining anything from coming to the surface as he felt his blood boil by the sight of his wife. (Of course she would be there. Trust the once Gryffindor-hero to come meddle in where she didn't belong.)

"Zabini, why are _you_ here?" Ron asked after a minute, his shock slowly easing away as he lowered his half-eaten chocolate frog from his mouth.

"Erm.." Gulping from the profound stare the Minister was wearing, and all the other attention he was receiving from the Aurors, Blaise shrugged nervously. "Emotional support, mate." (Oh, how he should have had Cho follow Hermione instead. He was about to soil his wizard-shorts.)

"_Pans_?" Ron added, eyeing his wife suspiciously.

"Just protecting you from this one." Pansy replied, patting Blaise's shoulder as he shook in his stance.

"Hermione, we're in the middle of a private work discussion." The Head Auror repeated, taking a step forward from Kingsley and ignoring the rest of the intruders. "Come back later." He said, the tone of an order echoing around the office.

"I will not." She responded defiantly, crossing her arms as she stepped deeper into the room. "I am sorry, Kingsley, for interrupting like this, but I am here for a serious matter. I know it's not the way to handle these certain things, but I am running out of options with your departments."

"How serious is this matter?" The Minister asked, his dark face expressionless. "Serious enough that it couldn't wait until I was done meeting with my Aurors, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Flicking her eyes quickly to her silent husband sitting in the seat by Harry, Hermione swallowed some of her conflicted emotions. "Yes." She responded solemnly.

"I'm listening."

"After the war, Ron and I were given honorary access to the Ministry."

"...Merlin, she had to bring me into this, didn't she?"Ron mumbled from his seat, looking down at the crystal table as his ears turned red as his hair.

"Alongside with Harry, you granted us the option of joining your Auror Department- -"The brunette continued. "Well, I'm here to join the department. I figured that I may come into some use. After all, with my uncanny skills, wit, and arsenal I shouldn't be impossible to place in some of your important cases."

The room fell silent, gazes turning to the blank-looking Minister.

One.

Two.

Three.

"Auror Potter- -" Kingsley spoke after three long, uncomfortable seconds. Aiming a commanding look towards his Head Auror. "Have Trainee Lupin get a file of gathered information of our private case. Special Auror Malfoy will be needing one if she's a part of this team." He turned to his workers, looking firm. "The rest of you, look to your Head Auror for a solution to your complaints."

Feeling like her heart gave a loud thump, Hermione had to take another hard in-take of air when Kingsley started approaching her; the rest of the people slowly shuffling amongst each other.

"I'm glad you accepted my special grant, Mrs. Malfoy." The Minister said, towering over the brunette as he looked straight at her. "Sixteen years later."

Hermione uncrossed her arms, trying to look grateful and un-stirred at the man. "I'm sorry, again, for the interruption, Minister. Not my politest moment, but I have been...a bit on edge lately."

"Do I have to pretend like you _aren't_ aware of the circumstances of this particular case, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"It's not his fault...none of theirs." Hermione replied in a whisper, glancing at the group of Aurors. (Especially at the blonde man still sitting silently in his chair.) "It's my choice."

"Better late than never, right?"The dark-skinned man grinned strongly, squeezing the brunette's shoulder. "Goodbye, Hermione."

"- -So, what are we going to do about the overflowing cases on our laps, Potter?" A man spoke, giving Hermione the chance to approach the end of the office as Kingsley exited the room.

"Watch your tone, 's not the way to speak to the Head Auror." Ron snapped at the burly man.

"He has a point- -" Speaking up, a sandy-haired Auror sat lazily on his seat as he looked in front of him. "We have been assigned this special case because we are the best Aurors in the department, and because we are we're getting assigned cases constantly. We cannot focus on all of them at once, we _need_ to promote trainees now."

Removing his glasses, Harry sighed tiredly as he rubbed his naked eye-lids. "I know he has a point, Johnson- -"The Chosen One placed his glasses back on, starring at his men with a solution already spilling from his lips. "Tomorrow morning I will have a new secretary, Alyssa Wood. Each of you come up with a trainee that should be promoted, and I'll look over the files. I'll have four new Aurors by the end of this week to handle your neglected cases."

"And that is why _he_ is Head Auror, Weasley." Johnson chuckled mockingly at the redhead man, standing up from his chair as the rest of the Aurors made way to exit the office. "- -Well, what a pleasure seeing you, Pansy, you look absolutely ravishing today."

"_Oi_!" Ron hissed, bolting from his chair as the man kissed his wife's hand. "Away from my wife, Johnson."

Passing by Ron and his jealously, Hermione walked up the the remaining men at the end of the table. Trying to remain calm and collected as silver-eyes found their way to her.

"You're still not mad at me, are you, Hermione?" Harry asked, gathering his papers in irritation.

"No, Harry, I'm not." Hermione responded to her best friend. "I'm past it."

"Brilliant." Potter scoffed. "You almost cost me my title with your interruption, Hermione, so I suppose we are even now."

She nodded uninterested, her eyes flashing at her husband. "Well?" She called in a low voice, giving Harry the hint to bugger-off for a bit. "Are you not going to argue with me, Draco?"

Looking up from his open file, Malfoy stared vacantly at his wife. "No." He said in a tone that matched his expression. "Now, if you excuse me, I've got a trainee to recommend." He shut the file and stood from his chair.

"Draco- -" Hermione turned before he walked away completely from her. "If you're upset, spit it out."

Letting out a puff of air, and a tiny fragment of that smirk that he helped perfect for his legacy, Malfoy kept his back turned on the brunette; halfway out the glass doors. "It won't make a difference, will it, Hermione?"

Her anger began to dissolve faster than she thought was normal - and it was Draco's resignation on her that was starting to cure that fury. "You lied to me...I had no choice. You knew that either way I was going to end up entering this case, Draco. Even if you were trying to protect me."

"Blaise." Malfoy called for his friend, walking out the doors as he left his wife behind with her explanations.

There just wasn't a cure for a Gryffindor's bravery, and he knew it. Just like a Slytherin's never ending mentality of always being right.

**X**

"Never thought I'd see you any time soon, Zabini." Sitting at his desk, trying to look over the list of trainees in the program that year, Draco found himself speaking for the first time in almost three hours as he figured his concentration was not going to come back any time soon. (He had reread the first name on the parchment more than two-hundred times.) "I was actually starting to believe I lost out on you."

"Really?" Blaise asked, adorable-looking emerald-eyes peering up at the blonde man from a few feet away like a child offered a puppy.

"_No_." Malfoy grunted, vanishing all the hope from his friend's face. "I'm not blessed with that much luck, am I? I knew I had to give you a couple of days for you to come around."

Zabini shook the ice inside his shot-glass of Firewhiskey. "You can fool yourself all you want, Malfoy, but I know you were worried about me." He pulled on a leer, leaning his back comfortably on the little leather couch in the office. "Slightly scared that I was never going to speak to you again, you must have been. Need I remind you I attacked you like a wild animal? That was some serious anger, mate, you _had_ to have been scared."

The blonde Auror looked up from the list, raising an eyebrow at his friend. "You did not attack me, Zabini, you slapped me like a little girl."

"But it still hurt your feelings, eh?" Blaise chuckled to himself, smiling brightly as he pictured Draco's shocked face after he had beat him up. (And the muggle-way, that had to be some extra points for his manly rep.)

"What are you doing in the Ministry, anyway, Blaise? You hate coming in here unless you have brand new shoes to show-off and strut around in."

"Oh, I do- -" Zabini raised a foot, pointing at a sleek, black shoe. "Dragon's skin, made by a crippled goblin in Egypt. Excellent quality." He dusted off a bit of dirt from the heel. "But, that's not why I came, I scheduled my showing-off for a week from now. I've got this wicked blazer to go with another pair of shoes made by that crippled goblin."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. (He just had to bring it up, didn't he?)

"Anyway, after Cho saw how worked up I was about the case, and your _lies_ - -"The dark-skinned man threw his friend a glare. "She came up with a marvelous plan in that smart head of hers. She had collected all the finances from my corporation since I took control of it, and she planned to enter a debate with Potter and the Minister about letting me into the Auror Department on a special entrance; seeing as I have donated more than twenty-five percent of my earnings every year to the Ministry and other organizations."

Draco kept his eyebrow raised. "...And what would that prove?"

"That I'm a bloody hero, that's what!" Blaise shouted, looking annoyed that Malfoy hadn't gotten it. "I've been helping you lot save lives for more than ten years! I've just been the man who does it secretly, like Clark Kent, and I thought it was time I showed the world how bloody fantastic I am!"

Malfoy narrowed his gray-eyes. "Who the hell is Clark Kent?" He asked, irritation building up inside of him quickly. "And you do not do it secretly, Zabini, you have the _Daily Prophet_ capture every sack of gold you hand to the Ministry and the other organizations. You show up in the newspaper more times than any of us when we close a case."

"Oi, I am trying to leave a legacy behind here, Draco! I want my kids to feel pride every time they think of their father, for their classmates to swoon over because I am a very giving man and half of their ugly faces wouldn't be enjoying some activities Hogwarts has to offer now if it wasn't for me!" Blaise protested, gripping his shot of Firewhiskey tightly. "And who's Clark Kent? _Seriously_, Drake? It's one of the most popular superheros in muggle history!"

Choosing to ignore everything he had just said - because he really didn't want to get into a discussion about muggle-ness with him - Draco looked at his friend without a retort. "If your wife's plan to get you to be an Auror was so brilliant, Zabini, why haven't you presented it to the Minister? Why did you just let her go home with Pansy instead of fighting your battle?"

With his blood rushing from the amazing defense he had given himself, Blaise looked down at the golden-like liquid inside the small glass he was holding. His eyes not looking so enthralled as they had been earlier. "Well...as I was hearing your wife go on about the 'special' grant the Minister had given the Golden Trio after the war, I decided it was best that I didn't meddle in with the department."

Seeing the uncomfortable gleam of sadness in his friend's eyes, Draco cleared his throat with uneasiness. "Why?"

Not replying at the moment, Blaise looked at his Firewhiskey for a second. Just staring at the liquid inside the shot-glass glow gold, remembering the burning in his throat he always got when he drank it. But figuring that he didn't have to just remember it, Zabini downed the liquor as he stood from his seat; lowering the glass onto the couch. "Because, mate, some people still don't trust me. Regardless of the amount of galleons I give them...As long as that mark is branded on my skin, and people remember it, I can't be the hero like Potter or 'Mione can."

"- -You see this, Blaise?" Malfoy's voice came out loud, stepping away from his desk and work as he marched towards the dark-skinned man. Rolling up the sleeve of his dusty-blue button-up shirt, exposing the cursed skull and serpent on his flesh.

"Don't, mate." Blaise looked away from it, seeing the tattoo on his friend for the first time since they were sixteen. "I don't look at mine, and I don't fancy looking at yours either...that part is buried back."

"You're right about one thing. They have their pasts in common, Zabini, and we have _ours_." Malfoy continued, his forearm still exposed. "But it's our twisted past that keeps us united, Zabini." He confessed, trying not to think about how much of a pansy he was sounding at the moment. (A trait he was told he passed down to his children.) "...I was never planning on letting them get to your wife, your children, or you. I had it covered, believe me."

Slowly moving his hand to the arm that bore his dark mark, Zabini nodded at his best friend. "It's good, then, that I have one of my kind inside, right?" He chuckled, for the first time without any humor.

Draco nodded.

"...I don't really much care about myself, mate, just make sure Cho is always protected. She won't admit it, but she's been more paranoid by the minute."

And before he could come up with a response to that sentimental remark Blaise made about his wife, the door of his office opened. Letting inside a witch with a stack of archives, and wide, almost transparent eyes as she stumbled into the men and their dark marks. (Even as one of them was covered by expensive robes.) "Oh...erm, I'm so sorry, Mister Malfoy." Tanya Rowle took a step backwards. "I'll come back later. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Miss Rowle- -"Blaise spoke, not flirting with the young secretary as was accustomed. "I'm heading off, my wife's waiting for me. See you later, mate. Pub night, don't forget."

Stepping to the side so her boss's friend could exit, Tanya flashed an embarrassed look at the blonde man. "I'm sorry- -"

"It's fine." Draco waved it off, pulling his sleeve down. "Did you manage to get the files from the vault of archives I sent you for?" He changed the conversation, not wanting the woman to dwell on the tattoo that certified him a Death Eater.

"Erm, _no_." Tanya responded, looking down at the stack of papers she was holding. "I couldn't even file the reports of your previous cases either, Mister Malfoy."

"Why not?" He asked, crossing his arms. "I need those files, Miss Rowle."

"I know, Mister Malfoy, but the trainees in charge of vault duty are not in their assigned locations. They're the only ones with the keys to enter the vault, no one else has access." Tanya spilled, feeling a bit of anger that the man was getting aggravated with _her_. "- -They all seem to be off congratulating your wife for joining the Auror Department." She informed before he could ask. "...Apparently, they are all loyal fans of hers."

Turning away in frustration, Draco tried to control the bubbling anger as he sat down on one of the visitor chairs across from his working spot. "Word gets around quite fast, doesn't it?"

"If I may, Mister Malfoy, I think it's such a blessing that Mrs. Malfoy has been assigned as an Auror. I know a lot about her, and she's fascinating. She's really going to help with these cases." Tanya confessed, trying not to let a dark emotion to express itself. "Everyone is really excited."

"Of course they are, she's Hermione bloody Granger." Draco huffed, rubbing his temples as he could already imagine the commotion the rest of the departments will be. (The famous Golden Trio, working together at last! Oh, the people of Britain will start feeling safer once the _Prophet_ announces it.)

"You're not so pleased, are you, Mister Malfoy?" Tanya dared herself to ask, walking towards the desk.

"What gave it away, Tanya?" Draco retorted. "My wife should be home, where she is safe. Not here...not attempting to fight back like she is still at war."

The secretary lowered herself on the chair next to her boss after putting her files on his desk, thinking about words to say wisely at the angry-looking man. "Have you ever thought, Mister Malfoy, that perhaps she is much safer closer to you than at home? That perhaps she serves a much greater purpose _here_?"

"You think I'm overreacting, then?" The blonde man asked, looking up at the dark-haired witch. Not knowing why he was exactly having this conversation with his employee.

Smiling with bright, tainted red lips, Tanya focused her clear green-eyes into the silver ones of Draco Malfoy. Her eyes zeroing deep inside the pupils of the man, not blinking once.

Feeling like like his shoulders were slumming down, his bones constricting with each other, muscles going rigid, Draco's heartbeat slowed dangerously low; his senses no longer functioning. His silver-eyes dilated, his pupils expanding as he lost himself in a darkness he didn't know of.

"You let her be here." She whispered to the blonde man, putting her palms on his lap as she lifted herself slowly from her seat; her eyes never leaving his. "Just until the moment is right."

Snaking her wand from the pocket of her pencil-skirt, Tanya jabbed the end of it onto Draco's forehead. And just as she focused her gaze deeper into his, she closed the distance between them. Pressing her lips against his, moving them with his robotic ones in a violent kiss. And as soon as it happened, she pulled herself away. Hiding her wand again, sure that she wouldn't blink and ruin the perfect silence he was in.

"Don't fret, Mister Malfoy, she's safe." She spoke to the unfocused man. "_For now_."

* * *

** AN: Hmmmm...**


	18. For the Love of the Things Left Unsaid

**Chapter Eighteen **

It was starting to snow - tiny snowflakes falling from the clear sky and covering the green of the grounds of Hogwarts.

It was a little early for the snow to come down, but it was a perfect signal that the holidays were soon approaching. Making most of the shivering students in the castle content with the cold weather. Besides, it gave them an excuse to snuggle up with one another or to have a reason to attack with magicked snowballs.

And enjoying the snow, and the much needed moment of silence, Ariana Malfoy sat underneath a tall tree; her back against the bark as she watched the air she was exhaling become fog and fly towards the furthest ends of the grounds. It had been three hours since she was out there, completely concentrated in the scene before her even as she could feel the blood in her body begin to thicken, but she didn't move - the silence always set her free somehow.

In the loneliest of days is where she felt the more at peace; where she felt that everything inside her young mind was starting to get clear. Almost as if she could see all of her problems resolve themselves before her like a loving source of magic she _knew_ was out there. Something pure that would show up and protect the ones she loved; to protect _her_.

But the real question that hasn't been answered in her solitary moments was: what did she want protection from?

"You shouldn't be out here, Ana- -" Distracting the lonesome Gryffindor from her view on the Black Lake and her thoughts, Fred Weasley shivered in his stance. Arms crossed over his shaking chest as he momentarily regretting walking over after spotting her. "It's completely freezing, Trelawney expects a snowstorm, you know?"

Moving her fingers alongside her legs, Ariana gave a small snort. "It's Saturday morning and the woman is giving forecasts? Isn't there someone's death she should be predicting?"

"You're still upset over that, are you?" Fred asked, still shivering as he looked down at the girl.

"See you've heard about it." The girl retorted, trying to get the feel of her fingers back. "Who was the charmer that let the entire castle know?"

Looking torn between telling the girl the truth, but then again knowing the damage she will inflict if she found out he lied to her, the redhead boy let out a foggy sigh. "It...might have slipped out from Frank Longbottom." (Well, what? His manly-bits were very important to him. He was not about to gamble those for the Longbottom boy.)

"Brilliant." The tips of her fingers began to burn. "Outed by _Frankie_, the idiot who got caught starting a skrewt-farm."

"If it makes you feel any better, he just told the Gryffindors." Fred offered.

"He's in Hufflepuff!" Ariana snarled, feeling her blood flow normally again as it began to bubble with anger.

Groaning to himself, it took all of Fred's courage to drag his body to Ariana's side and take a seat by her. "What are you exactly mad at, Ana?" He asked, his left hand flying into the pocket of his jeans just in case she decided to aim a nonverbal jinx at him. (He was older, but the witch was much more skilled than him.) "That Longbottom tried to explain why you bolted out of Trelawney's classroom in fury, or because the woman said you were marked by death and there's nothing you can do about it?"

Pressing her lips into a line, the almost-brunette flickered her eyes down to the fragments of white ice covering the grass beneath her. "Neither." She confessed, feeling herself cringe at the thought that she was starting to get too trusting with the Weasley/Potter's. (Her grandfather Lucius had always said to keep people in a distance because she wasn't like them; because she had more Malfoy-reflexes that prevented her from feeling the need to get it seemed that that was starting to fade.)

Clearing his throat, Fred nudged the girl with his shoulder lightly. "...Then?"

"I'm upset that I can't figure it out." She confessed, coming up with the conclusion that maybe it was best for her to get that thought out of her head and into the open air. "...That I don't know whether to believe her prediction." She raised her head again, her caramel waves hanging lower behind her back. "What's there to fear, Weasley? How can I possibly _die_?" She swallowed. "That's what I am upset I can't see a reason to be scared...and _that_ frightens me."

Because she was right, there was nothing to fear. They had sworn peace throughout the Wizardying World - so what was there to be scared of? That she would be mugged and killed like her Grandfather? That she would attempt to save her friend's life and die in the process like Mister Finnegan? Or take a badly-aimed curse and end up living by a string like her little sister?

_What was it going to be?_

"From the cold, perhaps." The Fifth Year teased, sacrificing his mittens and handing them to her. " Look, Ana, take it from a bloke that doesn't necessarily believe in fortune-telling - nothing is set in stone. There is no chalkboard or grand wall of marble where Merlin wrote what was supposed to become of us before we existed...And that includes the time in which we depart." He smiled confidently at her, waiting for her to turn and look into his brown-eyes. "So ease up, just enjoy what's left of term, yeah? There's nothing to ponder over, the Professor's just getting more mad day by day that everything she says is rubbish."

Biting her tongue so she could not retort that Prophecies exited in their world - which contradicted _everything_ he had just said - Ariana pulled on a fake smile. "Thanks, Fred."

"- -Hey, what are you two doing here?"

"I've been looking for you, Ana- -"Appearing behind them, climbing up the hill together, Savanna Zabini, Roxanne, and the two Potter brothers waved in greeting at the two by the tree. "I should've assumed you'd be here."

"With my brother, not what I expected." Roxy offered after James, tightening the ruby and gold scarf around her neck as she smiled at the Malfoy-girl and her twin brother. "But you got to keep warm, am I right?"

Fred glared at Roxy, his shoulder contracting away from the witch next to him instinctively; looking up nervously at James. "We were just talking."

Feeling like _he_ was the one who was supposed to be receiving the explanation, Al cleared his throat as he accidentally stared directly into the silver-eyes of the girl he...of that girl that he thought a lot about. He felt a light heat rise to his face as he saw how light the gray in Ariana's eyes were, the snow making them look vibrant and illuminating. "...Hey, Ana."

"Al." The Gryffindor replied indifferently, crossing her arms over her chest as she started feeling irritated. (She just didn't know how to handle Al's mood swings anymore.)

"Please tell me you haven't been out here thinking about what old Trelawney said?" Savanna frowned at her friend. "That was yesterday, Ariana, and I'm sure she even forgot about it."

Giving it a second, Ariana tossed the Ravenclaw her phony smile. "Of course not." She stretched it out a bit more, knowing that Savanna was the only one who came the closest to distinguishing her smiles. "Just enjoying the snow, I just can't wait to go home."

"Ah, Christmas." Roxy interrupted, shivering in delight as her eyes lit up. "I can't wait for the holidays, either. Mum said Lavender was going to come into town to celebrate with us, there's no way they can spend the holidays alone, can they?"

Savanna and Ariana shared a look, and this time the Malfoy girl let a true smile appear on her beautiful features.

"That's great!" Savanna Zabini exclaimed too happily. "I've been talking to Alice Longbottom and she can't wait for Dash to come home. She said the Finnegans were staying with Mrs. Thomas, and you _know_ how much time Alice loves to spend with Luna." She grinned mischievously."Must be a great excuse for her now, eh?"

"Excuse for...what?"

Savanna gave Roxy a you-know-what stare.

The redheaded girl's happiness deflated a little. "_Oh_.." She murmured, swallowing a knot as she felt the cold digging into her skin. "B-But I thought Alice was with Lysander Thomas now?"

Savanna shrugged, pretending like she didn't see the hurt gleaming in the older girl's eyes. "I suppose Alice is noticing what she let go, you know? Like your dad's always saying, Roxy, you never know what you have until you lose it."

"Or someone else has it." Al mumbled automatically with a glance at Ariana; surprise seeping into his system as he realized what he had just said. "Erm- -"He coughed. "Dom says it too...Same meaning, yeah?"

"The point is- -" Savanna cut in before Dash Finnegan faded from the conversation. "Longbottom will be extra cuddly with Dash these holidays. I won't be surprised if they end up together and they snog from house to house."

James grimaced. "Not in my house." He interjected. "If I find Finnegan and Alice snogging about my property, I will hex them both back to the school."

Tightening her scarf again, Roxy focused on the snow she was stepping on. Something inside her heart hurting as she could envision Alice Longbottom's pretty face smiling up at Dash; captivating him in a way she had never been able to.

Perhaps if she had learned to accept her feelings - learned how to speak up when she had the chance, she wouldn't be suffering over the sandy-haired boy. All she had left of him in her memory was his distraught face, the aftermath of his father's death. She wanted to hug him, to race up to his mother and him and just hug them. To make their pain go away...but of course Alice and her family had beat her to it.

So, was that how it was going to be for her? To come in second place behind Alice Longbottom every time? ..._Probably_.

Her eyes burned, and she wished she was hiding under her blanket in her four-poster. Hiding her remorse and broken heart from the people around her.

"- -It's going to be embarrassing, then."Ariana chimed in, sending a secret frown at Zabini as she could tell how far her pushiness went. (It was great that Savanna tried playing matchmaker, but by making the girl cry was _not_ the way to make it happen.) "For Longbottom." She continued, smiling helpfully at the redhead that looked up in a daze. "Last owl I got from him he mentioned this particular witch, and it wasn't Longbottom's cow-of-a-face."

Roxy lit up all over again, her face filling with color. "She is a bit of a cow, isn't she?"

"Loads." Savanna laughed, shivering to herself as a gust of icy air blew through them.

"Cold, are you, Sav?" James said to the witch. "Let me help you." He smiled dazzling; all of his charm pouring out as he put an arm around the tan-skinned girl. Even being so kind as to fixing the pale-blue scarf around her neck. "Better?"

Trying not to turn a shade of pink, Savanna cleared her throat and tried to return the smile at Potter. "...Yeah, thanks."

Fred raised his eyebrow in the exchange between his cousin and the Ravenclaw. His confusion growing as James just smirked with the greatest arrogance, like he had just won a trophy, even as his 'girlfriend' sat staring up at him. "Ana- -"And turning to face the said 'girlfriend', Fred gaped at the lack of emotion - or fury - crossing the girl's face.

"Yeah?" She responded, leaning closer to the tree.

"Erm...your nose is bright red."Not knowing whether he should voice his opinion about the lack of disrespect James was giving Ariana, Fred just cleared his throat. "You'll get sick, and I doubt Hermione needs another kid in the hospital."

The almost-brunette felt an automatic flinch of nostalgia. "Can't really stay warm out here, you know, Weasley." She gave him one of her off-handed smiles.

"Here." He offered, scooting closer to the Gryffindor and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He looked up at James, hoping that some kind of remorse would flicker through his brown-eyes as he hugged Ariana closer to him.

But narrowing his eyes cockily at the redhead bloke, James leered more profoundly. He knew exactly what Fred was doing, with his morals and all, but James Potter was not to play the gentleman. "Hey, Sav, do you fancy a hot chocolate? I can get Winky to whip one up in no time."

"Ah, sure." Savanna mumbled, the same confusion that was previously on Fred's face was now living in her gaze. "Ana, want to join us?"

"No." Ariana replied, turning her head out towards the Black Lake.

"Oi, wait!" Fred called as James proceeded to walk the Ravenclaw back towards the castle; his arm still tightly around her shoulders. "Roxy wants chocolate too!"

"No, I don't."

"_Shut it and walk!_" The redhead boy ordered his twin, gripping her by the arm and tugging her behind their cousin as he sprang away from the Malfoy-girl.

And in the silence that the little spot by tree suddenly went into, Al stood rigid in his place. Blending in with the background, just how Ariana made him feel every time he would come around her now. But despite that void she put him into, the youngest of the Potter brothers felt a deep pang of anger as he watched the girl ignore him.

So many things raced to his head: How could she let James practically flaunt another girl in her face? Did she have no respect - weren't they _dating_? And when in the Dark Lord's hell did he ask her to be his girlfriend? Was it just a rumor, then? Was she ever going to inform him? Scorpius for that matter? And what-the-bloody-hell was just that with Fred? Did she enjoy cuddling with members of his family? _Wait_ - did that mean she enjoyed cuddling then? If so, then why didn't she want to hug _him_? Why has she _never_ hugged him at all? Was he not attractive or charming like James? Was he not funny and a nice bloke like Fred?

No, the thing here was, she _loved_ torturing him. Yep, he's sure of it. The witch was insane; probably living up to a fully planned-out operation to drive him mad and straight to St. Mungos.

Yeah, yeah. That _had_ to be it.

"- -Are you okay, Potter?"Interrupting the hectic swirls inside his head, Ariana looked at the Third Year with a bit of worry. "You look like you're about to combust."

"You're a two-timing wench, Malfoy, do you know that?" Al snapped, the only logical thing to do in his dizzy head.

Narrowing her silver-eyes, Ariana tried not to roll them at him. (You see what she means? _Mood-swings_. One minute he is trailing after her with a bizarre smile, and the next he is shouting at her like a lunatic.) "What is that even supposed to mean, Potter?"

Grunting at the girl, Al shook his dark hair in a disbelieving manner. "What do you think it means, Ana?" He scoffed at a shrug she sent his way. "It means stop groping my cousin when my brother is here - Look, I may not particularly care for James half of the time, but he is my brother. And if you are going to be in a...relationship with him, it wouldn't be too much to ask you show some respect! I don't - I mean, _James_ doesn't have to see how any other git in this castle can have you, yeah?"

"You make absolutely _no_ sense, Albus." And finally, Ariana rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You blabber too much, you know? Kind of like Lily when she gets too excited by something."

The Slytherin glared, arms crossing on his chest as the snow started falling thicker from the skies above. "It's not meant to be amusing, Ariana."

She smirked, her Malfoy traits coming out from their sleep. "I disagree."

"You disgust me." Al spat too quickly before he could stop and think about what he needed to say next. (Well, it's not like you can blame him, can you? She was mocking him! And when has a Potter ever let a Malfoy get away with that?)

"Just...go away, Al."

As the girl turned that amazing gaze to the ground, Albus finally found more regret appearing inside his chest. "Sorry, Ana...I-I didn't think that straight. I'm sorry. I'm a down right git for- -"

"You know what, Potter? _You_ disgust me." Ariana retorted, peering up from her thick lashes in a rage. "I'm not particularly fond of your brother either most days, but at least he has more courage than you'll ever have in a lifetime. And I feel sorry for you..." Something dark bubbled in her gray eyes. "What else is there to feel for a coward, right?"

Gritting his teeth, and with the swirls and twirls his brains cells were doing, Al did the smartest thing he could have done in that situation - something he always did when it came to Ariana Malfoy.

He walked away - just like the coward she knew he was.

**X**

"It's really not that hard, Damien- -" With a book wide open, and all of the windows of the greenhouse shut tight to protect the plants from icing, Rose smiled at the dark-haired student seating across from her on one of the few empty tables. "Pay attention." She added with a sweet grin as a few Hufflepuff girls gossiped among each other in the table next to them. "Come on, what's the answer?"

Removing his attention from the gossiping witches - sure that they had mentioned something about the annoyingly-perfect Ariana Malfoy and an incident in a Divination lesson - Damien McLaggen looked down at the book his girlfriend had open. "Err, Harry Potter?"

Rose furrowed her brows. "What's my Uncle Harry have to do with this, Damien?"

"Aren't we studying History of Magic?" The Seventh Year asked. "Because if we are, I'm pretty sure the answer is Harry Potter. That man is everywhere on those books and is practically the answer to every test. Professor Bins feels the need to explain the story of Potter every year that you can guess what the manky, old ghost will put on the exams."

"Herbology- -"Rose informed, lifting the book up so the Slytherin could see the title. "I'm helping you study for your Herbology exam."

"Oh." McLaggen breathed, his ears twitching to go back to the conversation the Huffelpuffs were having. "Erm, in that case...gillyweed?"

"Alihotsy, McLaggen, _Alihotsy_." The redheaded girl sighed with a dim smile, shaking her inflamed hair. "Honestly, how can you not remember the answer to that? You used Alihotsy on a Fourth Year two weeks ago."

"Oh, yeah." The older student chuckled, remembering perfectly well the damage he had caused to that stray Slytherin. "Alihotsy, causes hysteria to severe degrees. Always a classic."

"_Right_." The Gryffindor rolled her eyes. "Chop three or four of those leaves and mix them with his dinner, and you'll have a hectic Forth Year convinced that the ghosts of the castle are trying to murder him and that the Fat Lady tried raping him."

"Not to mention the suicidal-episode he threw when he swore he saw a mermaid invite him to live in a majestic castle underneath the Black Lake." He chuckled again. "Priceless."

"Not funny, Damien." Rose repented, trying not to laugh at the aloofness of McLaggen's tone. (She always fancied observing him when he had a smile on his face rather than that smirk he tried out-doing another Slytherin with. Because every time she did see him smile, she knew that everyone else was wrong about him.) "He could have drown."

Shrugging and leaning further back into his chair, ears perked up at the louder words from the girls in the table next to him, McLaggen adjusted the hood of the navy-blue sweater he had on. "Well, that's what you get when you take a McLaggen's chair by the fireplace on a snowy night. I've bet he learned his lesson, though, so it won't happen again. Promise."

"- -No, but she said she would die..."

"...Who would die?"

"...Did she threaten the Professor with death?" A blonde Hufflepuff looked around for show, pretending like she didn't see McLaggen practically leaning on her to listen in. "I bet she can do that, you know? If she wanted...Her dad's a Death Eater."

"He's an _ex_ Death Eater, Brenda..."

"...Wait, I'm confused, who's going to die?"

"Ariana..."

"...So the Professor threatened _her_?"

"No. Trelawney _predicted_ that Malfoy would die..."

"_Ohhh_." The girls said in understanding; some gasping and shaking their heads in pity.

With a soft _bang_ on the floor, McLaggen readjusted his chair as he turned back to Rose. Grinning largely as the girl was submerged into the book and not paying attention to the best piece of information he had ever received. (Finally, Merlin was answering his prayers.) "I'm excited to go home for the holidays, aren't you?" He said in a peppy tone, bringing Rose back to the now.

But as she looked up from the Herbology book, Rose saw a tall blonde enter the greenhouse with a dark-haired witch attached to his hand; fingers intertwined. Both of them looking painfully beautifully, catching the attention of all the students that were taking refugee of the snow inside the classroom.

They walked in with so much power, with some much elegance and essence of superiority that Rose felt her fists contract in anger as silver-eyes skimmed by her - not even bothering to glare or send her a mocking glint when their sights connected for a millisecond like it was accustomed. Like how it always have been.

_How dare he_, she thought. How could he walk into the greenhouse and cause such an erratic havoc among all the jealous girls and envious boys. _Ha_. Like if any of them would ever be jealous or envious of that blonde idiot if they really knew how he was.

If they really knew how much of rubbish he was filled up with inside.

"So, what do you think?"

Swallowing a ball of curse words as that couple got a few students to evacuate their table so the two could sit. Almost as if they were the muggles Queen and King. (Idiots.) "...About what?" Rose asked, still not fully looking at the Seventh Year.

"Of what I proposed?"Damien offered, raising his eyebrow. "Now who's not paying attention?" He laughed, finding that the girl always put him in a good mood with her naive-ness and innocence. (It was a perfect combination for a guy like him.)

Watching as the blonde boy tapped his wand and created a smoky, small butterfly to burst out of his wand-tip and gracefully fly into the girl's stretched out palms, the Gryffindor looked up at McLaggen with the deep need to hurl. "I'm sorry." She sighed, reaching up to her temples and rubbing them. "I feel slightly faint, but what were you saying?"

"I said that I'm hoping I can see you sometime during the holidays, Rose." Damien continued, not bothering to ask why she was turning an angry shade of red. "I won't have a problem asking your parents, your father was in school with mine. Good mates, as dad puts it."

"Erm...Well, I don't know, Damien." Rose muttered, still trying not to point her wand at the back of the blonde set of hair and curse it all off. "Mum's pretty strict about family holidays, and dad will murder me if I don't spend a day or two with my Grandparents."

Not knowing why he was feeling in the mood to play the perfect-oh-so-sensitive-how-other-girls-wished-they-had-such-a-swell-bloke type, McLaggen gave the redhead a sad smile. "I suppose I'll just try to find a way not to miss you so much. Don't think an owl from time to time will cut it."

Groaning to herself, the Fifth Year witch settled in patting her boyfriend's hand. "Look, Damien, if you owl my dad with a week's notice and ask him for permission, I can get my mother to make him let me go visit you."

"Brilliant." McLaggen grinned again, loving the idea. It wasn't like his family was around much, and maybe that way he'd have the gorgeous redhead to himself without none of her stupid family getting in their way. (And maybe - just maybe - if all went well, he'd finally get to do more than snog Rose and find out on Christmas that the Malfoys lost another member of their family.) "I better get started on that now, then."

Receiving a light kiss on her red-lips, Rose sat by herself without a chance to retort or protest as the Slytherin exited the greenhouse; a large smirk on his face. Leaving her alone to glare and frown at the couple three tables away.

"- -How long does the enchantment last?"

"A day or two- -"Liking the way the girl's eyes sparkled with glee that he caused, proving that he was not a monster - mostly to himself - Scorpius Malfoy smiled against his nature as the butterfly he had produced for the girl fluttered its' wings in her hands. "I was thinking all day about how to make it last longer for you, but I think I got the longest extension possible."

"It's beautiful, Scorpius, really." Lana McLaggen said, her breathtaking smile shinning towards her fellow Slytherin. "I'm just glad you thought of me."

Malfoy shrugged, trying to brush off that touchy-feeling crap he had been feeling all the time he spent with McLaggen. "Just something I picked up in Charms class three years ago, nothing exciting." He defended for himself. "But, I know you like them." He added, not wanting to let his anti-people skills ruin the girl's happiness.

"You've been traveling without Al or Angelo lately, you know?" Lana pointed out randomly, her emerald-eyes focused on the smoke-like insect. "I hope it's not because of me."

"Why would it be about you?" Scorpius asked.

"They don't really like my brother, do they? I just imagined it would be the same with me...And since we _are_ spending so much time together..."The dark-haired witch shrugged, not feeling the need to continue as she proved her point.

Trying not to roll his eyes at the girl, Malfoy settled on reaching for her face; placing a caressing hand on her left cheek. "Nor Potter or Zabini are a problem, Lana." He looked deeply into her gaze, both of them remaining silent for a split second as he grew proud of the glow he gave her.

"I like spending time with you." Lana spoke, breaking the tiny moment of silence.

But not knowing how to reply to that - because Scorpius wasn't sure if he could say the same at the current moment - Malfoy leaned towards her. Pressing his lips onto hers in a soft peck, giving a second to feel the slight warmth she radiated out; then moving his lips expertly with hers.

He knew people were around, probably gawking at them and whispering about the kiss the two Slytherins were sharing - but what he didn't expect was that they would actually interrupt the passionate snog he was sharing with Lana.

"Excuse me- -"But of course with Rose Weasley around, good things always came to an end for Malfoy.

"Need something, Weasley?" Scorpius snapped, aggravated that the damn redhead was smiling dramatically at them. Her entire presence screaming phony and annoying. (Like he didn't know she had something up her sleeve.) " We were actually in the middle of something."

Lana flushed, and Rose tried not to gag again. "Actually, Malfoy, I came to give Lana a message- -"The redhead informed, hands clutched in her front in a calm manner as she batted her eyelashes in the friendliest manner at the Slytherin girl. (Confusing the poor girl because, well, it was no secret Rose hated Lana with the passion of the muggles Jesus Christ.)

"Me?"

_Yes, you, you idiot - _Rose thought to herself, holding on to her smile. "Damien got an urgent owl from your parents this morning and he just took off to the owlery. He asked me to tell you if you could meet him up there."

"I'll see you later?" Lana asked Malfoy, standing up from her chair next to him; a look of worry flashing across her attractive features.

And just as the blonde Slytherin nodded at the request McLaggen made, Rose ripped the girl's chair back. Taking it upon herself to sit on the chair, get in the middle of Scorpius's traveling lips and halting them, and get Lana to walk towards the exit; all in three seconds."- -Tell your brother I'll see him at the Library later. _Thank you_." She waved her palm.

"Thanks for informing me about your plans later, Weasley." Scorpius glared at the redhead. "You better prepare yourself for the interruption of your lifetime. And I am willing to curse McLaggen if he doesn't take it too kindly."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rose shrugged, all of her fake friendly-attitude fading away as quick as she had adopted it.

Malfoy kept his frown, crossing his arms over his chest in irritation. "You owe my girlfriend an apology, Weasley, you know that, right?"

And instantly, Rose glared back. "An apology? For what?" She scoffed. "And..._girlfriend_? So, you've finally lost your marbles and decided to become an item with Lana? Good luck, Malfoy, the girl's a complete bint."

"Figures that _you_ wouldn't know how to distinguish people, Weasley."

"Perhaps we have different definitions of who's worth it, don't you think?" Rose's anger flared. "...I can't begin to comprehend what you and the rest of the castle sees in Lana...Or why you act so..._human_ around her."

Malfoy stared at the redhead uninterested. "And why, my lovely Rose, do you say that?"

Her brown-eyes narrowed. "You're intolerable all the time, to everyone, always degrading those around you because you think you have some right to do so...And then some witch comes into your life, someone you don't even know all that well, and she gets the best from you?" Not realizing that her voice was rising an octave higher, her fury residing as she felt a strange feeling deep in her gut, Rose kept staring at the blonde with rigidness. "You don't know her, Scorpius, and yet, you adore her..."

Contemplating it for a second - just examining the emotional changes within the redhead - Malfoy uncrossed his arms. Knowing perfectly well that Rose had struck a chord inside of her, like if she was hurting by the way he smiled at Lana McLaggen and not her.

But what was he supposed to do for the girl?

Give up the only shred of happiness he seemed to have found in Lana? Just so Rose could be content when he went on scowling, smirking, and laughing at the expense of others? Just because he wasn't nice to _her_?

(Ha.)

"You're right about that- -"He spoke after his moment of silence. "About us having different definitions of who is worth it and who is not." He grabbed his wand from the table, taking the chance to leans towards Rose; a centimeter away from her face.

"...Scorpius." The redhead muttered, her face pulling back instinctively from the Slytherin.

At that, Malfoy smirked. "I knew this was about you." He whispered to her, erasing the inches of separation she placed between them. Placing his lips tenderly onto her cheek; feeling her freeze as he also gave her a sort of hug.

Rose closed her eyes, hiding them from him as he pulled back.

"But Lana _is_ more important to me than you'll ever be, no matter how long I've known you - -"He pocketed his wand, standing tall as she kept her eyes shut. "Find your entertainment elsewhere."

And as she could sense his smugness retreating from the table, leaving a trail behind of self-pride, Rose's brown-eyes came back to life - a crystallized tear rolling down her cheek.

Not because he walked away with the air of superiority he always had, but because that was the first time he ever got close enough to her, that he gave her soft affection. And it was all a part of his mockery for him.

She would just never be _real_ to him.


	19. Flamable Promises

**Chapter Nineteen**

"- -Ow, mum, _ow_."

Walking out from the kitchen of the Burrow, Ginny Potter dragged a blue-haired eighteen year-old by his ear. Tugging even harder as he began to complain and tried pulling himself out of her clutch, even if that meant losing his ear in the process. He knew it was worth losing, it was about to get uglier if he didn't get out of there fast. (Besides, ear-less blokes like George Weasley were always the center of attention, he would fit right in.)

"Sit your butt down this instant, Teddy Remus Lupin- -"The redhead woman snapped, pointing to the empty couch in the living room of her parents home; an older woman watching from a rocking-chair with a grin on her face. "_Now_." She hissed as he hesitated.

"Y-Yes, ma'am." Teddy scurried off to the old couch.

Ginny sighed, inhaling deeply as she crossed her arms in anger. "I don't even know what I'm going to do with you, boy." She began, not noticing that Teddy had given her a secret eye-roll. "You're eighteen - _eighteen_, Teddy - and you can't begin to act your age."

Teddy glanced at the other woman, watching her knit casually as if she wasn't hearing his mother rant about him again. (Same things over and over again.)

"It's like you are tempting me to lock you in an attic and never let you out."

"I don't even know what all the fuss is about, mum." Teddy chimed in, leaning against the couch as he decided he heard enough. "I mean, I was just sitting innocently in the kitchen, waiting for my tea when you barged in all mental and decided to attack me." He raised a finger at the woman, turning his body slightly in an angle so he could see her. "If we were muggles, I'd have Child Services contact you and I'd be removed from your custody by such barbaric act, Ginerva."

"You were having sex on my mother's dinning table!" Ginny snarled, smacking the boy across the head. "Rotten luck for you, boy, but we are not muggles!" _Smack. Smack._ "Next time I find you disgracing the Burrow with that girl- -"

"- -He's telling the truth." Being dragged in the same way as Teddy had been, but by a mob of people, Victoire looked at her aunt with an outraged expression. "We were just waiting for tea!" And as her Uncle Ron shoved her onto an empty armchair, the blonde girl turned to her grandmother. "Grandmum, you know I would _never_ do such a thing. Aunt Ginny is blowing this way out of proportion."

"Am I?" Mrs. Potter scowled at her niece.

"Well of course you are!" Teddy was the one to speak, his girlfriend shrinking back with fear. "Vic and I have not even had sex yet, hence we were _not_ doing anything on Molly's table!" He babbled. "And if by any chance I were to get lucky, I would not do it in the Burrow. I'd rent a room in the Leaky Cauldron, or do it in my room when you and dad were out."

_Smack._

Teddy frowned at his mother from another hit he received, crossing his arms in an indignant way. (There was just no pleasing that woman.)

"Oh, my, my, my." Molly Weasley stopped her knitting, looking at the two teenagers as all the other adults remained silent by Teddy's statement. "Kids these days." She sighed, shaking her fading red-hair as she looked down at her almost-done sweater. "What to do with them?"

"That's it?" Ron asked, furrowing his brows at his mother. "That's all you're going to say, mum?"

"Well, what can I say, Ronald?"

"Don't say anything! Whip them into shape! Make them do heavy labor in the yard! Work them like house-elves!" Ron exclaimed. "You would have beat _me_ senseless if I was snogging Pansy in the kitchen."

"I believe she has already." Pansy commented, standing in the back with the other person that helped bring Victoire into the living room. "It was the first year of our marriage, and we needed to get pregnant already. We only had a few months left before we had the Ministry on us for not completing one of the clauses the Marriage Law came with - but anyway..." She stopped in her story, noticing the man next to her gave her a disgusted look. "Oh, grow up, Potter. How else do you think your niece was made?"

"I know the concept, Pansy, but I rather not get an image of how Rose was made." Harry said, shuddering at the idea and walking towards the open seat next to his adoptive-son. "..I don't tell the world how James was created."

Pansy glared at her brother-in-law. "Remind me why I'm nice to you again?"  
"Well, it was lovely seeing you all but I've got to be on my way now- -"Victoire interrupted politely, standing up from the armchair her uncle had imprisoned her in. "I've got my exams today, and Healer Thomas won't allow me to make them up."

Ginny uncrossed her arms, eyeing her niece. "You do make us proud, Victoire." She said with all honesty, but not helping to feel like the relationship between her and Teddy was double-sided. There was no way Ginny could stay furious at Victoire, she was her niece after all, but even then, her maternal instincts kick in and she wanted Teddy to focus completely on his career instead of his girlfriend. "Good luck, darling. Make sure to remind Dean we are expecting him and Luna for tea this evening."

"Yes, Aunt Ginny." The blonde girl smiled, feeling less pressure off her shoulders as her aunt looked less upset. "Good luck with training today, Ted, see you later."

"Erm..."Scratching his head at the distant goodbye he was getting from his girlfriend, the blue-haired teen sighed. "Later, Vic."

"Now _that_ was cute." Harry grinned at his son teasingly.

"Yeah, yeah." Teddy grunted, pushing the arm his father had put around his shoulder. "You've all frighten her, she won't want to kiss me for days."

"It's all bloody disgusting." Ron hissed, dropping himself in the armchair. "All that love rubbish needs to bloody stop."

Molly frowned at her son. "No cursing in my house."

Mumbling another dirty-word, Ron grunted to himself.

"Why in such a rotten mood, Ron? Pansy cut off your sweets again?" Teddy asked, liking that all the attention was off of him. "Oh, wait!" He snapped his fingers at the redheaded man. "Did she find that stash of Pumpkin Pasties you keep in one of the cupboards in your mummy's kitchen?"

"- -Ron's just upset about a letter he received."Harry said quickly, not wanting to witness another punch to the gut his best friend would get from his wife.

"Ah, so George was right? He is getting sacked?"

"No, I'm not getting sacked, you prat." Ron snapped at Teddy. "It's something much...You know, I don't even want to talk about it."

"Damien McLaggen wrote to Ron." Ginny informed, smirking.

"Who's Damien McLaggen?" Molly asked.

"_McLaggen_?" Teddy gawked at Ron. "What does that slimy bastard want?"

"See, Pansy, see! I told you he was a filthy git, didn't I?" Ron cursed again, his cheeks getting red with anger. "I knew we should have home-schooled Rose. It was a terrible idea from the start, letting her go to Hogwarts. Ha! Who's crazy now, Pans, _who_?"

"...He scares me sometimes." Teddy muttered to his father, both of them with their eyebrows risen in concern for the redhead.

"For Slytherin's sake, Ron." Pansy rolled her eyes, her own anger appearing. "The boy just wanted to ask for permission to see Rose in the holidays. You're over-reacting."

"I do not overreact!" Ron placed his hands on his waist. "That boy is clearly interested in my daughter, and if he is anything like Cormac, I'm sure his manky fingers will try something with my little girl."

"Just like the git tried with Hermione all those years ago." The Chosen One added.

Ron's eyes opened wildly. "Exactly, mate, exactly! It's inheritance!"

Grunting at the men, Ginny shook her long hair. "You can't base the kid's personality and defaults on how his father was, Ron. You don't know if the boy is genuinely interested in Rose, or if she likes him too, for that matter."

"Exactly." Pansy mimicked the redheaded man.

"So now you're turning against me?" Ron scoffed. "Brilliant, just brilliant."

"Good thing Lily is twelve, aye, dad?" Teddy laughed.

"Lily's the less of our concerns right now." Ginny said worriedly, looking over at her mother as she settled on the couch with her husband and oldest son. "Apparently, James is getting rather..._cozy_ with Ana."

Choking from the air he was breathing, Ron coughed hysterically at his sister. A part of him wanting to roar with laughter and the other to show how shocked he was with the news. (Oh, this was too good.) "Ana? As in Ariana_ Malfoy_?"

"What other Ana do we know, you dunce! Obviously Ariana Malfoy."

And choosing to laugh, Ron stomped his feet with every mocking chuckle. "Oh, Merlin, that's bloody brilliant." He roared more, a mental image of his nephew and Ariana holding hands crossed his head. "Can I tell Hermione?"

"No." Ginny frowned. "I'm not even supposed to know. Lily wrote to me a few days back, saying how things are a little topsy-turvy over there and that she does not want James and Ana playing couple during the holidays."

"But...they aren't an item, are they?" Mrs. Weasley asked her daughter. "I mean...not that there is anything wrong with that, Ana is such a lovely girl, but..."

"But James is not a lovely boy." Harry completed his mother-in-law's thought. "Yeah, we know."

Letting the information sink in, Teddy knitted his eyebrows in thought. "I don't think Ariana goes well with James. But either way, I doubt it's serious. Mind you, the bloke can't settle on what scented soap to use when he's at home, I doubt he'll settle for Ariana for too long. I give it about a week."

"I thought Ana was _smart_." Pansy said, sitting on the armrest of her husband's chair; playing with his red-hair as he sported a gigantic grin. "Why go for James? And - oh, oh!" Her expression changed, looking like she realized something very important. "Draco's going to murder him if he ditches the girl after a week!"

"Malfoy's going to kill him regardless." Ginny corrected. "Even when he is not home, that boy brings us problems."

"And just when we thought- -"Before Harry could voice the hopes they had for James, he stood up from his seat; something inside of him sparking up with a sense that he hadn't felt in years. His skin filled with goosebumps, that sense that something was coming started invading his brain. Almost like the past memories of fear and battle started replaying perfectly accurate, he felt the same feelings race inside of him.

"Dad?"

"Do you hear that, Ron?" The Boy-Who-Lived asked his best friend, ignoring his son as he pulled out his wand.

And just in time, feeling that same shiver, Ron stood from his chair. He whipped out his wand too, taking a protective step in front of his wife as he could hear the grass outside his mother's home rattle; like a silent earthquake in mid shake.

"Dad- -" A gust of wind snapped the windows open of the Burrow; the air burning like the hottest day of summer.

Ginny stood from her place in a swift movement, things happening all around her like if time had sped up - she shoved her son down as a wave of fire swirled inside through the window. Things beginning to crack and burn, shades of vibrant orange and inflaming red were seen living with fury outside. Like the outside of the Burrow was made of fire.

"_Aguamenti_!" Both Aurors shouted, jets of water shooting off towards the body of fire threatening to crawl inside the house.

"Molly!" And just in time before an overpowering feather of fire could fly towards her mother-in-law's direction, Pansy launched herself away from her husband's protection. Knocking the older woman onto the ground.

"Pansy! Pansy,no!" Almost in hysterics, Mrs. Weasley shouted after her daughter-in-law once she rushed towards the kitchen, wand out.

"I've got to get the door!" Pansy yelled, her eyes open wide as she could see fire outside of the kitchen window. "_Cave Inimicum_!" A jet of light came out of her wand-tip, causing the door to stop shaking and hold with super-strength. "_Aguamenti!_" She hissed, water flowing out the kitchen windows.

And seeing as the flames were not disappearing, Harry took a look at his family. Seeing the terror and determination on Ron's face, his eyes glancing every millisecond towards the kitchen; hoping for his wife to return from the unknown she went into. Molly: her concerned face - that expression that always broke his heart with guilt. And then, his wife and son...

"Don't even think about it!" Ginny hissed at Harry, still keeping Teddy on the ground as he fought against her hold; trying to join the action his parents were participating in. "Harry Potter if you- -"

_Crack._

"Is he mental!" Ron exclaimed, still shooting water towards the open gaps as his best friend disappeared. "He doesn't know what's out there!"

"Oh, Merlin, I'm going to hell for this- -"In through the tiny fragment of hysteria going on, Teddy knocked his mother backward. Her wand falling from her hand and the stream of water she was producing disappeared. He shoved his way out with his left elbow, and his right hand pulling out his wand. "Sorry, mum." _Crack._

"Teddy!" Ginny screamed with every maternal fiber in her body. A fear racing up her spine, something that screeched with a shrill voice that she did not want to lose him. _Not her child. _ Not like the Malfoys and their daughter, she thought selfishly. Her thoughts spun out of control like the fire consummating the outsides of her childhood home.

But before she could even join Harry and Teddy outside, the waves of fire stopped; the cold wind of winter entered in gusts through the burned window-frames.

"...H-Harry?" Ginny called, swallowing a knot of panic as she picked herself off the ground. Her wand tight between her fingers as she waited, her brother reaching to grab her arm so she could stay in place. "Harry- -"

"- -It's cool." Peering in through the cracked window, Ginny gave a jump as Teddy smiled at her from the outside of the Burrow. "No harm done, mum."

"The fire stopped, there's nothing outside."

"You look like a damn fool, Teddy." Ginny retorted, ignoring Pansy's return to the living room. Noticing the missing eyebrow on her son's face. "You're grounded."

"_Grounded?_" Teddy gaped. "For what? I was doing my Trainee duties, woman! You can't ground me, I'm an adult!"

The redhead took a calmer breath as her husband appeared behind their adoptive-son, giving her that solemn look that explained all - they were safe. For now. "You pushed me, Teddy, and unless you want me to tell Andromeda that you hit a woman, you better get inside this house now."

"Clear, Harry?" Ron asked, his eyes flicking towards his wife and his mother.

Harry nodded. "We need to report back to the Ministry, though. It seems like we have another attack to write down in our special case."

"Everyone's safe, that's what matters. There's nothing a few spells can't fix." Molly spoke, her eyes flashing all across her family. Not bothering to look at the few things that were destroyed by the freak-fire. "Everything's fine, go to the Ministry without care."

"...Actually...erm." Pansy peered at Ron, a guilty expression on her white face. "I couldn't control the fire to the fullest, so...your secret stash of sweets are nothing but ashes of aluminum trays, Ron."

With his jaw dropped, Ron cursed. "Oh, come on!"

**X**

Sitting in an uncomfortable leather-chair, Hermione Malfoy stared with exhausted eyes at the records and archives scattered all around her newly appointed desk. (It seriously had been a while since she worked; she had forgotten how maddening the codes of the Ministry could be.) But even though as her eyelids grew heavy, she did not dream about giving up on her work. It was not in her nature, and the determination to solve the case was bigger than the almost forty-three hours of sleep she had missed out on.

"Are you practicing to set them on fire with your eyes?"

Blinking from an old Azkaban Prison record, Hermione's tired gaze was met with a very energetic blue.

"There's still wizards from the Merlin Era alive, you know? They can create magic with their eyes, the way they casted their spells before they created the wand."

Hermione blinked again, forbidding herself to roll her eyes instead. (Oh, all the corrections she could make to that statement would drain the energy she had left.) "Luna, it's great to see you." She smiled dimly. "What brings you to the Ministry?"

"Just visiting." Luna Thomas smiled dreamily at the brunette. "Dean and I are actually going to have tea with Harry and Ginny later on, I just wanted to stop by and speak to him about a few things before."

"Did you find him?" Hermione asked with a bit of eagerness. "I've been trying to look for him all morning, but he hasn't showed. He hasn't reported in with his new secretary." She explained.

Luna just smiled. "Is something the matter, Hermione?"

"...Nothing I can discuss." The brunette sighed, cursing Harry Potter inside her head.(Figures that when she needed him he was probably off skipping over a rainbow with his wife.) "I'm sorry, Luna, how rude of me, how are you? How's Dean?"

"I'm lovely, thank you." The blonde kept that smile, subconsciously knowing that she was irritating Hermione with it. "Dean's still has a few post-traumatic symptoms from the electrical shocks his body received, but he's adjusting..."And then her smile slowly faded, the image of her husband's dark, blank face coming to her mind. Almost as if she was looking at it in the flesh; how she did every night when she found him awake and looking outside their bedroom window. Withering faith escaping from his dark eyes. "...Well, trying his hardest to adjust to a life without his best friend."

Hermione waited a second, swallowing roughly at the emotions circling the air of her temporary office. "Must be hard." Her voice squeaked, and she coughed to disguise it.

"Some nights are tougher than others." Luna nodded. "Especially when he apparates to Seamus's house, expecting to find him and he realizes Seamus won't ever be there again..." Luna cleared her throat, shaking her blonde hair and letting a smile reappear on her pale face. "But the children help loads. Dawn writes to Dean everyday, and she encourages him to heal the wound of loss he has in his heart."

The brunette looked away from Luna, glancing at the paperwork on top of her desk. Stacking them in an orderly fashion as the silence became loud.

"It's a good thing that Dean isn't aware of the real reason of his friend's death- -" But that silence didn't last too long.

Hermione furrowed her dark brows. "What do you mean, Luna?"

The blonde took a seat, placing her palms calmly on her lap. "I don't criticize people for the choices they make, Hermione, but sometimes I believe those people _need_ to hear how things look on the outside of their crowded heads." The graduated Ravenclaw began. "It wasn't a wise choice for you to join this operation, Hermione. And it definitely was not right to have you informed about the situation shaking up the Auror department at the moment."

"_You_ know about this?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Luna adjusted her hands on her lap, looking at the brunette as she still remained outraged. "There's a difference between vengeance and justice." She said after a few seconds. "There's a reason why they kept certain people hidden from the truth...Like you and Dean. There must be a twinge of fury in your blood, Hermione, they did murder your father-in-law and put your daughter in a comatose state. Just how they killed Dean's best friend. Neither of you know the difference of what is right and what will make you feel better by knowing the truth."

Hermione scowled.

"I know the situation is tough, and there's nothing more that I want than to see justice for all those people and the protection among us, but my head is set on right." The brunette scoffed and Luna smiled bigger, not bothered. "I'm keeping my family together because that's all that I can do. We chose to keep Dean in the dark for protection, so our kids wouldn't have both parents attempting to fight a battle of vengeance...Malfoy tried doing the same for you, but here you are."

"Draco didn't have any right to hide things for me, Luna." Hermione snapped. "He knew that I would react- -"

"React _this_ way? How you are now?" Luna interjected as politely as she could, her blue-eyes scanning the folders before her. "When is the last time you slept?"

The brunette fell into a angry silence, not knowing how to control that twinge inside of her. That twinge that Luna had spotted the moment she came into her office, something that others couldn't see.

"Focus on your children, Hermione, not in all of this. You have countless protection behind you, don't waste the time you can have being a mother by overworking your brain and not having faith." Luna rose up from her seat, eyes connected to her friend. "I always find the answers to come faster when my head is relaxed, and I've drank a few Butterbeers."

"...Thanks, Luna." Hermione said in a whisper before the blonde walked out.

Looking down at the file of an ex Death Eater - Jugson - she stared at the information before her. Codes and symbols from Azkaban peering up at her, almost like if the marks were flashing with information; letting her know that the answer _was_ among them, but her sleepy-eyes couldn't see them anymore. Luna had been right, she wouldn't be able to figure this out if her head was in the wrong place.

She did want revenge - her entire brilliant mind was screaming that if she found the culprits she'd get her own retribution. She'd help bring them down, put their lives on the line to avenge Mister Malfoy's murder, Seamus's, and to get a sort of repayment for having to see her baby girl trapped and tangled in wires at St. Mungos; with no chance of ever waking up.

Hermione stood up from her desk and headed out, her breath hitching as everything became clearer.

What makes an Auror is someone who could leave everything behind, all the personal pain to help and save others, to protect innocent lives. And she wasn't doing that. As a _mother_, she should have been focusing on helping to protect the children of the people that were possible targets; so names of more kids wouldn't show up in those lists.

Still breathing heavily, Hermione passed Tanya Rowle's desk. Finding it empty as she headed for the doors of her husband's office - she needed him now more than ever. She understood his reasons now. But just before she could settle on those electrical currents of longing, Special-Auror Malfoy opened the doors to her husband's office; getting the surprise of a lifetime.

"- -Soon, Mister Malfoy, soon."A low voice mumbled.

Frozen at the door, with her heart falling somewhere deep in an abyss inside of her body, Hermione saw a dark-haired woman pressing her lips onto her husband. A hand snaked through the blonde strands of his head, their eyes fixated upon each other as their lips moved together in an odd way.

"...D-Draco?" Hermione murmured with a shaking voice, something horrible taking over her as her husband's secretary turned to look at her. Her brown eyes meeting Tanya Rowle's green; no resentment or guilt swimming in her pupils.

"_Oops_."Shrugging with a blank tone, Tanya turned to her boss. "You're wife's here, Mister Malfoy. I think you should talk to her now." Silver-eyes blinked, Draco Malfoy nodding as he kept his focus on his secretary. "- -Mrs. Malfoy." Tanya nodded curtly as she passed the brunette, her note-pad and quill close to her chest as she exited the office.

"...Well?"

Hearing that voice he had known for almost all his life, Draco Malfoy turned on his chair; a sort of shiver crawling up his spine and hurting the inside of his ears. He looked at his wife's expression, knowing that there was an undefinable pain written all over her features, but he couldn't do anything. He was frozen, he couldn't even feel his limbs move but his hands were stacking papers on his desk nonchalantly. There was a spark trying to ignite itself into a powerful flame, but a high-speed wind made it impossible - he was a puppet now. "Well what?"

Hermione held on to the handle of the door, her previous anger coming back as Draco sounded oblivious to the tears running down her cheeks. "You were kissing another woman, Malfoy, do you want to explain _that_ to me?" She hissed through a knot in her throat, her legs shaking.

He wasn't speaking, but his lips moved. A venom was engraved into his head, thoughts of fury being inserted into his brain cells. Dark feelings that weren't his. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"_Answer me!_" Hermione screeched, more tears pouring out. The room was spinning all around her, shades of different colors appearing as spots in her vision, a hurt so immense cutting her up like a knife.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at the brunette, his exterior showing no concern or importance to the situation. Even as his inside was trying to fight against an imprisoned hold he was in. "Is there something you needed, Hermione? I've got a few reports that need to be on Potter's desk by the end of the day, I don't have time to waste with you."

Gritting her teeth so she couldn't sob into hysterics, with everything she had trying to compose herself, Hermione inhaled a scorching puff of air. "...You're going to regret this, Malfoy. I promise you...you'll regret this." And she turned on her heels, escaping the office with a speed that she didn't even notice when Tanya slithered her way back inside her boss's office.

"Don't worry, Mister Malfoy, I think she has it completely wrong." Tanya said with a laugh, closing the doors behind her as she approached the controlled man behind the desk. "_Both_ of you will regret this."

Draco remained still and lifeless, but inside he was fighting to break free. To move by his own accord, trying to run after his wife, but nothing came. He just saw an illuminated wand-tip being pointed at his face, the magic in his blood trying to fight the spell that was being inflicted inside of him.

But the battle was lost - he crumbled beneath the light.

"When this is done, you will remember nothing, Draco Malfoy- -"Tanya chanted, her wand raised high into Malfoy's pale face and unfocused silver-eyes. "You'll continue trusting me, believing that your wife has gone mental. Go along with the fight. Keep my trust and identity hidden; it will be over soon."

And as deceiving as she has been all along, there is one thing Tanya promised and would keep true to - she would end it soon for Mrs. and Mister Malfoy.

Their end was coming, and that was a guarantee.

* * *

**AN: *Waits patiently through the uproar of protests and curses of the readers.* (Doo, doo, doo.)**

**Oh, hi! Well this was a hard chapter to write. I couldn't really settle in on an emotion, not to mention I kept going back and forth on how I was going to cause this riff between Hermione and Draco, but TADA. There you go. Hope you all don't decide to boycott me now, Lol.  
**

**P.S.**

**Hope all of you had an awesome Christmas and got what you wanted! **

**Have a safe New Year! I love you guys so, so, so much! :)  
**


	20. Of All the Awkward and Distubring Things

**Chapter Twenty**

It was like the dining room had expanded upward - he was sure of it. The usual warm colors that decorated the place were gone, and so was the morning-scene his mother loved to enchant the ceiling with. All that he remembered the room to be was replaced by shades of silver, pale-blue, and a lilac. The usually-enchanted ceiling was as neutral as he had ever seen it, nothing was displaying but floating paper-lanterns that spiraled their way up there; glowing with a bright candles inside. And if that didn't seem to add enough to the nauseating decorations he stumbled into, he had to dodge a few silver balloons that decorated the corner table, where vast amounts of gifts laid.

He glanced towards the empty dinning table as he attempted to get a glass of water, finding a majestic pastry sitting perfectly baked in the middle of the table. It was layered from biggest to smallest, about ten levels all decorated with the same shades of silver, pale-blue, and lilac. Curious candles stuck out of the cake with illuminating tips, almost like small stars lived in the ends. And past those frosted levels, at the top of a cake stood an almighty number, fourteen. Glittering like jewels on top of the cake.

Frowning at the over-the-top pastry, he headed out of the dining room with a bit of annoyance crawling up inside of him. "- -Happy Birthday, Ana!" And right on cue, Scorpius made it to the living room of his house to see the Thomas family apparate into it. "Happy Birthday, Savanna!"

Smiling hugely, Savanna Zabini made her way to the family. Her eyes sparkling for the gift that awaited for her. (And if there was one thing they looked forward to on birthdays, it was the generosity that Luna had with the children.) "Thank you so much!" She proceeded to hug them, excitement written all over her tanned-face.

From the corner where he was trying to hide himself in, due to the people invading his home, Scorpius saw his Grandmother Narcissa nudge Ariana to move towards the guests. "Thanks for coming, Mister and Mrs. Thomas." She said to the adults, her voice strained as she hugged them in welcome.

" Hope you like what we got you, Ana- -"

"- -Yeah, we gave it lots of thought." Lorcan and Lysander said, handing Ariana a box covered in ruby-colored wrappings.

"It's a book." Dawn whispered after her brothers made their way to their old friend - Dash Finnegan, who was spending the holidays in Britain.

"Then I'm sure I'll love it." The birthday girl replied, looking at the twins and smiling at them gratefully; even as her eyes glittered with something else.

"Thanks for making it, Luna- -"Walking past the crowd of people, Hermione Malfoy hugged her old friends. "Dean, thank you. I know you had a lot of work at the hospital, but I truly appreciate you bringing the children."

"Nonsense, 'Mione, it's a tradition. We couldn't miss it." Dean assured her.

_Crack._

"Happy birthday, girls!"And adding to the living room stampede, George and Angelina Weasley apparated into view. Their twins walking out from the burning emerald flames of the Floo Network, both looking the sharpest as they smiled at the birthday girls. "- -Oi, where's Zabini at? I've brought the Firewhiskey!"

"_George_!" Molly Weasley scowled from an armchair at the end of the living room. "You better not even dare! You've got to open the store early tomorrow, these are the times it is more packed and you need to be fully aware."

"Got it covered, mum." George flashed a grin at his mother, pulling out his bottle of liquor and flashing it at Harry and Ron. "Fred's going to be helping me for what is left of the holiday."

"I am?" Fred asked incredulously, making James and Louis chuckle mockingly.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione took Angelina's coat. "Blaise stepped out for a bit, and Cho is cleaning up Angelo's the boys thought it was a brilliant idea to have a Quidditch game out in the mud."

Scorpius cowered more into the corner as his mother threw a frown at him, her brown-eyes showing her previous irritation. (But in his defense, if they didn't live in a muggle neighborhood they wouldn't have had to play so close to the ground and Zabini would have never had gotten splattered with dirt, anyway.)

"Lavender! My, it's so good to see you."George added, his arms open for the dirty-blonde woman chatting with Ginny and Pansy.

Scorpius leered, he was sure George had already had a few drinks before attending the party. (And if he had to handle the parade of people, Malfoy handled it loads better if some of them were drunk.)

"...So glad the Longbottoms went away from the rest of the holiday."Scorpius heard Roxy Weasley mumble to Savanna as they hugged in hello. "Not that there's anything wrong with them, but I just don't think Alice fits in our crowd, you know?"

Savanna grinned. "Of course not."

"Hey there, little cousin- -"Appearing next to Scorpius silently and undetected, Teddy Lupin ruffled the boy's blonde hair; smirking.

Malfoy gave the blue-haired wizard a shove, fixing his strands as Teddy chuckled mockingly. "Been drinking, have you, Teddy? You reek of cheap alcohol and cigarettes."

"Mum magicked the liquor cabinet at home." Teddy sighed. "Luckily, I can rely on my Metamorphmagus side to get muggles to sell me the stuff. Not as good, but it works just the same."

Scorpius stared at his alleged cousin with bored eyes. "Planning on sobering any time soon? Or are you risking letting Ginny murder you across my sister's gift table if she sees you like this? I think my mother would be upset, but I wouldn't mind."

"Easy, mate, easy. I'm properly prepared." He patted on the pocket of his robes,taking out a little flask of blue potion. "So, what did you get Ana?"

"What do you mean?" The blonde asked, raising his eyebrow at Teddy.

"Well, it _is_ her birthday, and even you must have had a heart to get her something."

"Oh." Scorpius looked back at the crowded scene, spotting his sister sitting blankly between Rose and Dominique. Something in her face looking like she was faraway, like she wasn't having half as much fun as Savanna was in their adjoined birthday party. "Got her socks."

Teddy laughed loudly, snickering like a witch as he slapped a hand over his mouth; wobbling in his stance. "Oh, real classy, Malfoy, I can see the joy on her face already."

"Well, I _was_ going to send the beast to a trip to the mountains so she could visit her family of giants and hopefully get recruited, but mum said I had to give her something practical." Scorpius grunted, frowning as he remembered the almost-smack his mother threatened to give him. "It was either socks or a toothbrush, but it is winter, so I went for the socks."

"- -Ah, Ted, I thought I smelled you from upstairs." Looking fresh and clean, both Albus Potter and Angelo Zabini moved towards their best friend as they walked down the steps of the second level of the house. "Been drinking that generic stuff again?"

Scowling at his adoptive brother's comment, Ted pulled on his robes; sniffing it. "Bloody hell. It had to be that shot of tequila Dra - I mean, _oops_. Clumsy me, best get cleaned off."

Before Scorpius could even question Teddy about what he was going to say, the blue-haired wizard wobbled towards the dinning room without a glance back; chugging the potion in the flask down. Giving Malfoy the sense that he should be suspicious about something.

"Oi, Angelo, where did your dad go, mate?" Frowning to himself again - finding that the solitary corner he had chosen was now getting invaded by the leeches around him - Scorpius pressed his back deeper into the wall as Lily and Peyton made their way to them. "I want some cake already, and your mum and Hermione refuse to cut it if Blaise isn't here."

"Yeah, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but Hermione's muffins aren't cutting it." Lily said after her cousin, holding up a half-eaten blueberry muffin to Angelo's face. "I want cake, damn it."

Zabini's eyes lit up and he took the small pastry from the redheaded girl, bitting into it. "Dunno, lads. Mum said that dad went on a quick errand, but I find that pretty odd for dad, he never misses a single second of our birthdays."

"Maybe your mum threw him out again, it's happened before." Peyton Weasley leered, all the essence of Pansy Parkinson that he had inside of him took over. "He took the cake with him as a bribe, remember, just she would let him back in?"

Angelo glared at the eleven year-old. "Piss off, Weasley."

Al rolled his eyes, and looked towards his best friend. "Malfoy, in all of this, where exactly is _your_ dad?"

Scorpius narrowed his eyes at Potter, trying to keep his expression cool and reserved. Trying to hide that he had been thinking the same thing since yesterday - when they had _barely_ taken out the Malfoy children from Hogwarts unlike the rest of the lot. (It was the first Christmas they had spent in school, but by the look that his Grandmother Narcissa had on her face when she picked them up at the Head Office, neither Scorpius or Ariana decided to question what the motives were.)

"...Ana's been wondering the same, you know?"Lily Luna said in a small whisper as her Aunt Fleur passed them, giving her arm a tiny squeeze as she did. "I heard her talking to Rose a few minutes ago." She clarified, looking up at Scorpius's grey-eyes. "She said she asked about it, but your mum didn't answer her. She just told Ana to go greet the guests and for her not to worry."

As the people around him started staring at him the same way the youngest of the Potters was, Scorpius frowned in returned. Loathing the feeling of pity and worry they were giving him. Almost like they knew something he didn't. "Excuse me." He said to them, pushing past his own little crowd before he hexed one of them in the face.

"- -Fourteen is a big deal, girls, remember that."

"Yeah, I remember when my Roxy turned fourteen- -"George Weasley stared into his goblet of Firewhiskey, looking lost in memory. "That's when everything started going downhill and before I knew it, she turned fifteen. It's like a curse."

Roxy glared at her father, her cheeks turning pink as Dash Finnegan laughed. Both of them seating closely together, no one really quite noticing the way they leaned into one another. "_Dad_."

"Well, it's true, Roxy. You stopped being cuddly and sweet, and next thing I knew you were buying feminine things." Mister Weasley shuddered, downing the rest of his liquor. "Then all I got left was Fred."

"Like I was saying- -"Lavender began again, looking at Ariana and Savanna with an all-knowing expression as Fred protested from his seat. "These are the times when things start changing, it's natural. For example, you will start developing feelings for a boy, or you become more curious about..._certain_ things."

Ariana scowled and Savanna blushed red.

Catching the disgust and discomfort written heavily on her daughter's beautiful pale complexion, Hermione laughed as she stood from her chair. "Oh, get rid of that look, Ana, we already had this conversation."

"And it bothered me just the same." Ariana retorted, still looking uncomfortable as James Potter sat across from her, eyeing her flirtatiously.

Managing to avoid the Thomas twins and their questions about some Transfiguration-related question, Scorpius caught his mother just in time before she headed towards the circle of adult women. "- -Mum."

Hermione turned around, smiling as she saw her blonde son. "Yes, dear?"

Their eyes locked and Scorpius saw it all - that glazed over reflection in his mother's eyes. Something that usually takes over the brown hue in her orbs when something goes unplanned or unexpected, like when his muggle-grandparents passed away when he was five and she refused to tell him for a week. (But even then, he had never been easily fooled.) He took a deep breath, having to find some courage to bring out his question. "Mum, when is dad coming home?"

His mother cleared her throat, stretching a hand towards his cheek and resting it there after a few seconds of silence. That smile not falling from her face, even when it was obvious it was fake. "Don't be so impatient, Scorpius, just enjoy the party."

And that was it - that was all she said in response to his question. She left him there, standing among the crowd of people invading their house, heat entering from every angle, but Scorpius felt the cold weather of the outside pour in like a blizzard. Making his muscles tense up, like a bad feeling was growing in his bones.

**X**

"This was by far the best birthday ever." Peering up from her new silk dress, Savanna smiled grandly at Pansy Weasley. "This is beautiful, Pansy, thank you so much. I can't wait to have an excuse to flaunt it around."

"I wonder where she gets that attitude from." Cho muttered sarcastically underneath her breath, taking the box from her daughter's hands and handing it to her husband. "Nothing but silk and dragon's skin, eh, Blaise?"

The dark-skinned man grinned, happily taking the box as his little girl sparkled underneath the light like a gem. "All the best for my princess."

"She's so spoiled, I'm telling you, mates." Angelo said, brows furrowed at his parents. "Thank Merlin I'm not like that." He let out a puff of air, fixing his new blazer that he had flaunted all day and wore like it was a trophy. ('Feel, mate, feel. It is the newest edition to an Italian's designer collection, it's made of the finest unicorn hair.') "Bloody brat."

Scorpius and Al exchanged looks from their seats, both of them shutting off the candles of the paper-lanterns floating over their heads to pass the time. "Yeah, mate, good thing you're not like that."

A sneer appeared on Scorpius's face as Zabini turned around again, trying to get a good luck of which presents he was going to have to out-beat his sister in on his birthday. "How long until you think he notices?" He muttered to Al, his wand-tip pointed at the back of Angelo's new blazer; splashes of color appearing on it.

"Five sickles, tomorrow morning." Al snickered.

"You're on, Potter."Malfoy said, adding colorful swirls and twirls to the material.

"- -I knew you'd love it, Savanna. A Godmother always knows best." Pansy grinned smugly as the redheaded woman next to her rolled her eyes. "Much better than anything you got, I expect."

"It's just a dress, Pansy, get over it." Ginny frowned. "The day you get her Merlin for her birthday, then I'll be impressed."

Despite the annoyance in her sister-in-law's face, Pansy kept the smugness on. "Ana, how did you like yours?" Her dark-eyes landed on the brunette girl, watching as she just stared at the silver wrappings of the box she still hadn't open. "Ana- -"Pansy poked the girl on the arm. "I am talking to you, girl."

Blinking wildly at the hard jab she received, Ariana's focus came back. Her silvery-eyes coming in contact with the annoyed expression on Pansy's face. "Erm...I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, you were saying?"

"Where's your head, Ariana?" Mrs. Potter asked, looking at one of the birthday girls with calculating eyes as the other kept rampaging threw her presents. "You've been zoned out all day, is something the matter?"

"She's right, you know?" Pansy added as Ariana shook her head hesitantly. (Ha, as if she could fool them.) "Ginny and I stayed so you could open our gifts, and you haven't been paying attention to anything. Do you know how much that dress cost me? Ron almost threw a fit!"

"Did not." Mister Weasley interjected, sitting at the furthest end of the dinning table as he poked at his fourth piece of cake. "I just think we could have gotten a bargain over it."

Standing behind her mother, Rose scoffed at her father's remark. "Dad, you wanted mum to ask Grandmum Molly to duplicate it just so you wouldn't have to pay for two dresses."

"Shh, Rose." Ron snapped, pointing his fork at her. "You don't rat out your father, Rosie, what's wrong with you?"  
Ariana looked at the people around her, thanking whoever was up in the sky that the majority of the guest had gone home - that way she didn't have to deal with more people waiting anxiously on her like if she had announced that she would be confessing her secrets after dessert. "I'm just tired." She said to the women still looking at her, ignoring the small snort her brother had let out from his place next to his friends. "But, thank you so much for the gifts. I'm positive I'll love them all."

Watching the girl as undetected as he could, Al's smile slowly faded from his face as he realized that Ariana was not about to open Pansy's gift. Which meant she wouldn't get to open the one that was next - _his_. Something he had put much effort into choosing since he needed to be on her good side again. And once he had found out the James got her one of her favorite books, he had to go on the hunt for the perfect gift to make him look bad. "Mum, Lily's falling asleep over here, maybe it's time to go home." He spoke, nudging at the twelve year-old snoozing on his shoulder. (But, perhaps, the best thing was getting everyone out. Al always knew when Ariana just wanted to be alone; it was part of those senses that his mind had for the girl.)

Ginny sighed, nodding in agreement as her daughter started drooling on Al's shoulder. "Well, after the massive amount of cake she ate, it was expected that she would crash from the sugar soon. Harry, I think Al's right, I think we should call it a day."

"You can leave her here if you want, Ginny." Hermione said, who had been sharing a private conversation with Harry Potter on one of the sides of the table."We're visiting Demetria at the hospital tomorrow, and Lily asked to go."

Before Ginny could respond to Hermione, the silver balloons still circling over their heads started disappearing. Transforming into little balls of silvery-gas and then evaporating into the air, making the dinning room appear bigger by the lack of birthday decorations. And through the colored fog, a man stepped into the room - a big box wrapped in purple tucked underneath his arm.

"- -Dad!"And in the moment everyone noticed him, Ariana sprang to life. Waking Lily up and distracting her brother from the vandalizing he was making on his friend's clothes. "Dad, you're here." She said, a smile stretching on her face and illuminating all of it.

Carefully settling the box on the corner of the dinning-table, Draco Malfoy cleared his throat; slightly opening his arms for the almost-brunette peering at him with wide eyes. "Happy birthday, Ariana."

His daughter stood rapidly from her chair, racing towards him in record time and throwing his arms around his waist. "I didn't think I'd see you until midnight- -"She pulled herself away a bit, looking up at him. "Grandmother Narcissa said you were working very late."

Draco cleared his throat again, retreating from the embrace his daughter still had on him. "Sorry for my tardiness, Ana, I had a case pending in the office. I promise to make it up to you." Not being able to stare into the girl's eyes as his lies flowed out, Malfoy moved his own to the other people. "Evening." He said with a strain tone, his gaze meeting up with his wife's.

A moment of silence froze around the dinning room, the adults looking especially uncomfortable as Hermione glared at the newly-arrived blonde man.

"Erm...I think it's time to leave- -"Harry spoke, discomfort in his bespectacled eyes. "Gin, take Lily by the Floo and I'll take Al by sidelong-apparation." The Chosen One looked at Malfoy, his wife and daughter walking towards the living room. "See you at work tomorrow, Malfoy. I...erm..I'm sorry you had to work this late, but you know Kingsley."

Draco gave a nod - feeling a bit of gratitude as Potter covered him .

As Al's goodbye and the _crack_ of apparation echoed away from the room, Cho also made Savanna stand from the chair. Looking just as uncomfortable as the air felt, knowing that it was best for all of them to leave the Malfoys on their own for now. "Well, I think it's time we headed home too - Come on, Blaise, grab Angelo."

"But Drake just got here!" Blaise protested, already opening a Firewhiskey bottle he had saved for when his best friend would arrive.

"_Now_, Blaise." His wife snapped, frowning at him. And instantly, her children and husband stood.

"Yeah, I think we'll go with them- -"Ron set his fork down on his empty plate. "George took Peyton and James, and I promised Ginny I'd make sure he wasn't doing anything stupid with the boys. Last time Peyton spent a day with his Uncle George, I swear I thought traces of a muggle-tattoo that had been freshly removed on his face."

"And he was just seven." Rose added, also standing as she too could feel the awkwardness invade the atmosphere.

Taking slow steps, Pansy followed behind her husband and daughter. And just as the two redheads crossed into the living room to take the Floo, the dark-haired witch looked at her old friend with a twinkle of a glare in her eyes. "...Bet you _were_ working hard, eh, Malfoy?" It came out low, just enough so Draco could hear. "You disappoint me." She said, elbowing him as she walked past him.

The silence had taken the room even faster and thicker than anything else they had ever experienced - Scorpius and Ariana stared at their parents, both waiting for something. There was that feeling that things were being left unsaid in the air, they could taste it as they breathed. They had not felt this sort of tension together since their mother had quit working at the Ministry; a choice their father had supported a hundred-percent even when Hermione was not fully committed into being only just a homemaker. It had been the biggest fight Scorpius and Ariana had witnessed, but by the look of things, they were about to be corrected.

"Scorpius, why don't you and Ariana head up to your rooms, darling?" Mrs. Malfoy did not look at her son, her gaze was completely focused on the blonde man staring back at her with those indifferent silvery-eyes that had torn her apart recently. "It's time for bed, I think."

Ariana raised her eyebrow, knowing that it was not yet passed eleven in the night. "But, mum, dad just got home- -"

"To your room, Ana." Hermione hissed uncharacteristically, her chest heaving as she turned red in the face. "_Now_."

Scorpius stood at that, every fiber in his being fighting against it, but he had no choice. "Come on, beast." He grabbed his sister's arm, pulling her up from her chair. "If you stay any longer in the moonlight, I'm positive you will turn into a werewolf. And how do we explain that to the muggles?"

The girl stared at her mum - the tears obviously burning in her eyes as she still looked everywhere but at them. Her heart started aching, feeling in suspense. Like it was already preparing itself for something beyond painful. She hated to admit it, but she was glad Scorpius was there at the moment. (It was the first time she didn't wish he was combusted spontaneously and disappeared forever.)

"You're late- -"They heard their mother accuse as soon as they had crossed the living room, both of them stopping as they reached the staircase. "How do you even plan to make this up to your daughter, Malfoy?"

"- -I'll find away."

"No doubt. But, of course like it is in your nature, you'll send everything straight to hell and make it worse- -"

"_Move_." Scorpius hissed at his sister, waiting for her to walk up the steps towards their bedrooms as the voices of their parents paused. "Mum will murder us if she knows we were listening, beast, and I'm not about to risk that for you." He jabbed her back with his wand, even giving her shoulder a shove as she didn't obey. "Move on."

"Do...Do you think it's _bad_?"Ariana's voice came out small, turning to face her brother as she held on to the rail of the staircase; ignoring his command.

Knowing the perfect answer to that, Malfoy sighed as he could tell that Ariana was fighting with herself to keep from crying. Especially in front of him. It wasn't pleasant to hear your parents arguing - at any age, and as coldhearted and cruel as he could be with the girl, he couldn't add fuel to her fears. It would be like igniting his own. "Of course not. Mum's just upset she had to spend the day watching Blaise trying to snog Cho at every corner of the house by herself. They'll be good as new tomorrow."

Ariana gave a tiny smile, nodding at that as she made herself believe it. "It was disturbing, wasn't it?"

A leer stretched on Malfoy's face, his gray-eyes sparkling evilly. "Not as much as your face, beast, but we deal with that."With a scowl and a kick to his knee, Scorpius knew he did the right thing as he walked behind her towards their rooms.

Besides, it was still her birthday, and he owed her something extra for the mismatched socks he gave her.

* * *

**AN: Well...Okay. First off, Im sorry if this chapter really didn't GO anywhere. I was checking what I was going to be doing with the next one and things didn't line up right, so I had to take the plot of this chapter and add it to the one that is coming up. **

**So...Yeah. Lol.**

**Hope all of you had a great New Year's!(:  
**


	21. Playing Puppet

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Tap. Tap.

_Padama and her family left Australia a month ago, Pavarti is starting to get worried. It's been a few weeks since she has talked to her sister and she's been questioning her brother-in-law since._

Tap. Tap.

_It's just another favor - another that I will greatly appreciate. I just need the background check for the bloke, some kind of information that will settle my wife down and convince her that her sister is in good hands._

Tap. Tap.

_Things have been strange in Australia, mate. People are disappearing, and the Wizardying community can sense it. My sister-in-law had remained close with one of her fellow Ravenclaws, Marietta Edgecomb. Remember her? She was the girl who gave Umbridge the information about the D.A._

Tap. Tap.

_She was married to a bloke in Durmstrang, a distant cousin to Crabbe that lived in that region. Anyway, she disappeared once her husband died a hit-and-run, as the muggles call it down here. Pavarti is convinced that something that Marietta said to Padama caused her to flee with her family._

Tap. Sigh. Tap.

_My bet is that Padama and her family are safe, and I'm trying to convince my wife that we are too. Look, mate, I just need the reassurance. Please find me the background without anyone from the Ministry finding out, I rather everything be kept a secret. If the Ministry gets involved, things will spiral out of control._

.

The rest of the letter was left unread as silver-eyes looked away from the parchment, forgetting about the farewell of Gregory Goyle's plead for another hushed up favor. "- -Why are you here?" Draco Malfoy asked the several pairs of eyes staring at him, especially at the person that was tapping their finger on his desk.

"I..erm..I just wanted to run something by you, Malfoy."

"...I got a few papers you need to sign."Ron Weasley said after the Head Auror, both of them looking uncomfortable at their fellow coworker. "What are _you_ doing here, Zabini?" He asked, taking the attention away from him to the man sitting beside him.

Blaise tapped his finger one more time, sighing as he tossed his back lazily on the leather chair. "I'm just bored." He shrugged. "That tends to happen when you make millions of galleons by just waking up everyday, you know? My company practically runs itself, and I decided to step out for a bit of entertainment."

"Do you get a kick of watching Malfoy read his personal mail? If so, all that glamorous life you say you live sounds especially dull right now, and I would hate to be you." Ron said.

"Anyway- -"The Head Auror cleared his throat, not wanting to hear the response that Zabini would have come up to Ron's retort. "The fire that happened at the Burrow, I need an Auror to go down and visit the site. I need all the analysis that makes it back from the evidence that was left behind to be accurate and in depth."

"Why haven't you chosen one, then, sir?" Draco smirked, crossing his arms after he stuffed Goyle's letter into the bottom drawer of his desk. "Need my permission?"

Harry frowned at the sarcasm coming from his Auror. "You've trained the Aurors that specialize in fires, Malfoy. Only you know which one of them is capable of handling the situation, someone who will go deeper into the ashes to actually _find_ something. If I wanted someone to tell me that a gnome started the odd fire, or that maybe there was a combustion in the atmosphere, I would let Teddy handle the situation."

Malfoy still smirked, knowing how much of a headache his relative caused the Boy-Who-Lived. "So, you do believe the fire that broke out at the Burrow was an attack then?"

"Unless an empty field just bursts into flames on its own, Malfoy, then, yes, I do believe someone caused it." Harry retorted, looking impatient. "I don't, however, believe that it was meant to kill anyone - if that had been the purpose of it, whoever caused it would have made sure that the fire was unable to be penetrated."

"Harry thinks it was a reminder."Auror Weasley spoke up, stacking the papers he needed Malfoy to sign in an orderly fashion. "That whoever is behind all the deaths and disappearances are letting us know that they are still out there. And if you think about it, Harry's got a point. It's been a few weeks since we've had any connections to the case."

Draco felt Goyle's letter calling out for attention where it was locked away; telling his conscience to let the Aurors before him know that strange happenings _were_ occurring in other places in the world. That Kingsley had been right from the start, the culprits were attacking globally. "- -Best go with Oswald Fudge, Potter." But despite knowing that he should do the right thing, Malfoy couldn't break the promise he had made Goyle.( He was to keep all the information he was sending him to himself, he owed his old friend that much.) "He is one of the trainees that have been newly appointed as an Auror."

Harry nodded, but made no attempt to get off from his seat and leave Auror Malfoy's office. "Erm...one more thing, mate."

"What now?" Draco asked, snatching the papers from Ron's hands and quickly writing his signature on them. "Do you want me to go find him for you, Potter?"

And once again, Harry frowned at the sarcasm. "What's happening between you and Hermione?"He stated firmly, not bothering to ease in to it as he had planned.

"Nothing." Malfoy responded after a tensed second.

"You didn't show up to your daughter's birthday party, Malfoy- -"Ron interjected for his best friend. Also curious to know what the hell was going on with Hermione and her ferret-of-a-husband these days. "Neither of you pulled your children out of school when the holidays started, and 'Mione has been really quiet for the past three days."

"We know about the kiss, Malfoy, so fess up." Harry also added, crossing his arms as he glared at the blonde. "How can you hurt her like that?"

Draco kept his arms crossed, something deep in his brain not clicking in his head. Like the cells inside his memory were formulating together to prove Potter's accusation right or wrong, but they had no focus of their own. He wanted to say something, give an opinion, but he felt a tug inside his head. Stopping anything that tried to come from _him_.

"It was a mistake." Was all he responded.

"That's it?" Harry scoffed. "That's all you're going to say?"

"Do you expect me to do something else?"

"Yes! You _fix_ it, Malfoy!" Harry snapped at him. "Look- -"He took a deep breath, settling himself. "I get that you and Hermione have been fighting lately, but that's no excuse to go kissing other women, Malfoy. This is your marriage on the line - your _children_. You and Hermione need to settle whatever is going on before it gets worse."

"How did you handle it, Potter, when Ginny saw _you_ snogging another woman?" Blaise asked, noticing the fury building up in his best friend. "Please, oh-wise-one, provide us with your tactics."

"I didn't snog someone, Zabini." Harry turned his frown to the dark-skinned man. "...That woman snogged _me_, Ginny knew it was not my fault."

"Devoted fans, mate. They can't help but throw themselves at us even after all these years." Ron chirped, grinning smugly as he adjusted his robes. "Witches left and right, it's a bloody curse."

The other three men shared a skeptical look at the expense of the redhead, neither of them trying to laugh.

"- -Oi! Oi! Look! Look!" Kicking the door open of Malfoy's office, Teddy Lupin interrupted the men's conversation about Draco's marital-problems. "_Look_!" Breathing heavily, like he had just ran a mile, the blue-haired wizard pulled out a small book from the pocket of his robes. Opening the flap, and tossing it in the middle of the table so everyone could see.

"What is this rubbish?" Zabini asked, raising his eyebrow at the picture of Teddy smirking and winking provocatively at them.

"Rubbish?" Teddy gasped. "That is my official Auror badge, that is!" He exclaimed, pointing a slender finger at the tile of the identification. "I made it!"

"I thought we were supposed to appointed trainees that were _competent_?"Ron asked, rolling his eyes at the picture. "The standards of this department are going down the loo, Harry. Best fix it before we have Zabini joining the ranks at this rate."

Teddy and Blaise frowned.

"Well, of course the standards of the Auror Department are going down, Weasley, but it happened before Lupin got appointed." Zabini snapped back. "I believe it went straight to hell when they made _you_ second in command."

"Whatever, can we just please focus on me?" Teddy called, getting in the way of Ron's would-be comeback. "I've made Auror!" He waved his Auror license around. "It is safe to say that I am a very capable wizard, and that all of you should be very proud." As he paraded his new title, Teddy's smile deflated slightly in one of the corners of his mouth. "...You'll never guess where the Minister put me though."

"Toilet-duty again?"Blaise asked. "Because if he did, let me tell you, Lupin, you do _not_ hand out soap very politely."

Ignoring Blaise, the blue-haired wizard looked at Harry Potter; his regularly gray-eyes turning a sad brown color. "...He gave me my mum's office."

"_Tonks_' office?" The redheaded man asked, a little surprised. "Kingsley's had that office closed down for years. He has not had someone take over it since your mother..."He paused, earning a hit to his side by his best friend.

"The Minister's been saving that office for you, Ted." Harry explained, standing from his seat and walking over to his godson. "He had been hoping, since you were a boy, that you'd take up after Tonks' career path."

"Think mum's proud wherever she is?" Teddy asked.

Harry smiled simply, not bothering to address that - the question had been rhetorical. "Come, we'll go get the key and I'll help you clean it up a bit."

_Knock. Knock. _

"- -Excuse me, Mister Potter?" Entering the office in the perfect time as it always seemed, Tanya Rowle marched herself through. Ignoring the awkwardness the men had all looked up to stare at her, except the puppet she had controlled behind the desk. "Miss Wood asked me to let you know that Arthur Weasley is waiting for you in your office."

"Any message with that?" The Head Auror asked.

"Just that he finished his meeting with the heads of the Department of Mysteries and the Wizengamot."Tanya explained. "Oh, and Mister Malfoy, you have a visitor." She added in the second silence between the men.

But before Draco could even ask his secretary to send the person in, a brunette teenager walked into the office. Her silver-eyes scanning the place as she entered, arms crossed in annoyance as she flicked them towards the woman standing in her way.

"Ariana- -"Malfoy sighed, looking at his daughter brush by Tanya. "What are you doing here?"

"I tagged along with Lavender - who is waiting for you, Ron." Ariana turned to the redheaded man. "She said she wants to discuss the matter of adding another two zeros to her earnings."

Ron groaned. "Bloody hell- -"He stood from the chair. "The bloody woman is off on temporary relief for the last couple of months, and is not scheduled to come back to work for me until the year is up and she wants _more_ money? She's lucky she is getting something!"

"Stingy as always, that Weasley." Blaise sighed, also standing from his seat as the redhead left the office. "Well, gents and ladies, I'll see you all opened a new store in France, and I've got to go get my privately-selected robes before the common people start appearing."

"Dragon skin?" Teddy asked as the man fixed his blazer.

"Do I wear anything but?" Blaise chuckled smugly. "I'll bring you back something, Lupin. An Auror has to be at his best, you don't want to look like these fashion-less gits."

"Brilliant, thanks, mate."

Zabini grinned proudly, like he was about to donate money to a charity. "Pub later on, Lupin, we got to celebrate." _Crack_ - and he was gone.

"- -Ana." Draco called his daughter again, not letting the girl get distracted by the sound of apparation echoing around. "What are you doing here?"

Ariana aimed a quick glare at the woman still standing loyally next to her, like she was waiting for her father's command to throw her out. "Haven't seen you quite a lot since we came home, dad."

"I'm working."

"I can wait." Ariana retorted quickly, the inherited stubbornness that she had gotten from both her parents came out to play.

"Mister Malfoy, if you want I can have little Ariana wait outside with me until you're finished." Miss Rowle offered so generously, still ignoring every awkward expression the Head Auror would make when she spoke. "I'm sure I have a few children books that she could read."

Ariana glowered, looking at the witch like she had suggested she sit and color or play with dolls. "I'm fourteen, Miss Rowle, not five. I can entertain myself."

Tanya tugged on a smile, a glitter of something burning in her green-eyes as she looked at the girl. "Oh, but of course, Miss Malfoy, I am so sorry. Your father did mention you had a birthday recently, my apologies."

"- -Ted, how about you show Ariana around for a bit until Malfoy finished his paperwork?" Nervously, Harry turned to his son, who was laughing silently from his stance due to Ariana's reactions to the secretary. "I'll finish with Mister Weasley soon and then I'll go find you."

"Come, Ana, we'll go visit Dolores Umbridge at her new headquarters." Teddy grinned mischievously. Taking a hold of her cousin's hand, and leading her towards the door; his father right behind them, rolling his eyes. "She's the one that hands the _Daily Prophet_ out now, did you know? Bet they didn't teach you that in your History of Magic lessons."

With a swish of her wand, Tanya closed the doors of the office. An innocent smile spreading on her face as Mister Potter turned for a second - looking back at her with a suspicious stare. But before he could get a good look or see the wink she had sent his way, the Chosen One was out of her sight.

"Do you have those files I sent you for, Miss Rowle?" Draco questioned, looking at the papers scattered on his desk.

"Certainly." The woman responded, walking towards his desk and placing the files she had gotten from the department's vault of secrets. "I also made a background check on the two Death Eaters you asked for. Except, there was nothing to be found about the man named Thorfinn unlike Avery."

"Why is that?" Her boss asked, opening the files.

"Well, we have old records from Avery's part, sir. His files with the Ministry go back before the second uprising of the Dark Lord and after. There was a lot to research in the archives of Azkaban, where the man is currently serving his lifelong sentence." She continued, even as the pupils of the man started going unfocused the more she stood in his presence. "But Thorfinn is just a first name, Mister Malfoy, and it is unlikely to get anything with that." She glared, her pulse rising as her personal thoughts mixed into her report.

"T-Thank you, M-Miss Rowle." Blinking as the words on the files started to blur and he could feel his senses begin to freeze, Malfoy let out a ragged breath.

"Something wrong, sir?" Tanya smiled again, quickly forgetting about her anger. "You seem a little put-out." She took another step closer, her wand out already. "Troubles with the wife? Rumor has it paradise isn't as divine as it has been for the past fifteen years."

Draco gritted his teeth, his secretary's voice penetrating his ears like if it was fighting a barrier to get through. "H-Herm...Hermione."He barely managed to say, his neck twisting like he was being possessed. "_Argh_."

"It's a beautiful marriage you two share, Mister Malfoy." Tanya sighed happily, her illuminating wand-tip pointed at his head. "And with such beautiful children- -"

"Ariana."Malfoy hissed, his pale face turning red as he fought against a pressuring force.

Tanya's eyes momentarily flickered away from him as she turned a picture-frame around from his desk. A photograph of his children; a year old, perhaps. She saw Ariana stand beautifully with her purple dress floating back with the wind, her brother - Scorpius, without a doubt - standing next to her. Firm and serious, looking especially handsome and put together. The both with the same profound metallic-eyes; blinking them at the camera as the youngest of the Malfoy children stood unstably in the middle.

"_D-Don't_." Draco managed to say with a harsh tone, one that did not come from Tanya's making. "Get...stay away."

After staring curiously at the maternally-inherited brown color of Demetria Malfoy's eyes, Tanya rotated the photograph back towards her boss. "Your little Ariana is such a charmer." She said mockingly at the man. "I'll be sure to correct her attitude problem."The woman spoke enchantingly. "But like I was saying, Mister Malfoy, you and your wife - sincerely meant to be."

A curse escaped the man's lips.

" _Til death do you part -_ like the muggles say in their wedding ceremonies. Which pertains to your mudblood wife, if you think about it."

Malfoy's face twisted in pain, his cheeks flaring scarlet. "Hermione w-won't- -"

"Silence." Tanya snapped, annoyed with the resistance that Malfoy was putting up. It was impressive, but by the swift movement of her skilled wand, that fight was long gone.

**X**

"So, what happened after we left?"

"Pansy." Ginny Potter frowned at her sister-in-law as she passed her a cup of tea, giving her a disapproving stare. "It is none of your business what happened."

The dark-haired woman knitted her brows at Ginny, taking her tea indignantly. "I deserve to know what is going on here, Ginny, I am one of Draco's best fiends."

"You said it- -"Ginny retorted, stirring the spoon inside her cup. "You are _Malfoy_'s best friend, not Hermione's. Maybe you should be badgering him for information, not sticking your nose around here where it doesn't belong."

Sitting quietly across the two women, Hermione raised her index finger in the air as her ears perked up to a new the women's attention and distracting them from their would-be fight. "_Shh_."

"Mum- -"

"- -Mum."

Walking down the staircase with brooms in hand, Scorpius and Al stared at their respective mothers. "Al and I are going to have a game of Quidditch outside."

"Sorry, dear, but I don't think you can at the moment." Hermione spoke to her blonde son, looking up at him with guarded eyes. "The neighbor is building his son a tree house, he has been up and down the trees in his backyard all morning."

Scorpius frowned and loosened his hold on his broomstick. "I told you living in a muggle-neighborhood was rubbish, Potter."

Al groaned. "Well, what the bloody hell are we supposed to do now?"

Mrs. Potter scowled at her son, her brown-eyes glittering with a glare at the boy's foul language. "You could have been spending the weekend in Romania with your Uncle Charlie's family, just like Lily is, Al, but you ruined that, didn't you?"

The thirteen year-old tried not to roll his eyes as Malfoy pulled on a smirk. "...It wasn't even _that_ big of a fire." He grunted under his breath.

But having acute hearing and a temper of a mad woman, Ginny caught every word. "You destroyed half of James' room, Albus Severus! You don't even know enough magic to save your life, and yet you played dangerously with spells that you don't even know how to contain!"

"He broke into my trunk!" Al talked-back to his mother, feeling the need to throw the broomstick so she could get his point of anger. "He nicked some of my belongings, and you had nothing to say to that - but of course, punish me when I tried to get him back." He frowned at the redhead woman. "He's the one who threw the first spell, anyway!"

"And do you know the amount of trouble your father got into with the Minister just so he would not expel either of you?" Ginny gripped the spoon of her tea tightly; like she was afraid she'd send it flying to his head. (She wasn't one to hit her children to get her point across - her shrill voice always did the job - but Merlin knows they were close to draining the last drop of her patience.) "You _and_ James are grounded until the holidays are over, so your lack of entertainment is not my problem, Albus. You are lucky I let you come here with me today."

And at that, Al had nothing to contradict. James was being looked after by Luna Thomas - surely enjoying a splendid day with Lorcan and Lysander and their potions-set. (His brother's worst nightmare.) Al smirked at the thought and turned to look at his best friend. "Fancy a game of Wizard's chess?"

"Fancy destroying the beast's room?" Scorpius offered, still upset that he had to put a hold on his Quidditch-needs because of the muggles all around their property. "We won't need magic, I've got a baseball bat grandfather Granger gave me ages ago."

As Scorpius and Al made their way up the stairs again, before the blonde could catch his mother's scowl, Hermione turned back to her friends with a blank expression. "I should have used that bat three days ago."

"_Oh, oh._" Pansy grinned, adjusting herself on the couch in the Malfoys living room. "You can't take that comment back, Hermione, you have to speak now."

"There really isn't anything to say, Pansy."The brunette took a sip of her tea.

Ginny settled her teacup on the small table separating her from Hermione, not buying the solemn look on her face. She had known her for years now, practically all their lives since she became best friends with her brother, and there were a few things Ginny could pin-point from Hermione. And one of those were her bluffs. "You were a mess weeks back, Hermione, because of _what_ Malfoy did. As a woman - as _yourself_ - you don't let something like that go."She crossed her arms, looking like that mother with a faulty patience.

Clearing her throat, trying to adopt that same firm expression as the redhead had, Pansy faced Hermione. "You can't keep it all hushed up forever, Hermione, you need to speak about it. You will drive yourself mental, and we all know it."

Hermione brushed a curl behind her ear, her fingers starting to shake as her chest filled with a gripping pressure. "Ginny, how is Molly doing? I was checking a few updates on the special case in the Auror Department yesterday morning, when I saw the incident that at the Burrow."

Looking at the brunette in annoyance, Ginny settled on rolling her eyes and taking a sip of her tea. "We didn't want to bother you with something like that, Hermione, that's why we didn't tell you- -"She first clarified. "And, well, you know my mum. She's still running around the Burrow like nothing happened."

"Except, something _did_ happen." Pansy interjected, frowning. "I'm trying to get Molly to see that, but all she does is pat my cheek and tell me she adores me." She continued, ignoring the snort her sister-in-law gave. "Whoever these ruddy gits are, they are making everything impossible for us."

"It's not you who they want, Pansy." Hermione said informatively. "Don't you find it odd that Ron and Harry, being two of the most important people of the Wizardying World, have yet to suffer anything?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked. "The Burrow- -"

Hermione shook her head, interrupting the redhead. "If they wanted to kill any of you they would have done it, Ginny. There is no doubt about that." And that was something that the Brightest Witch of the Age was spot-on; they had not intended to murder. "I just...I have a feeling like they are waiting to strike against Harry and Ron til the end."

Tension grew in the air, and Pansy Weasley looked frightened. Like the brunette had just mentioned that her worst nightmare is waiting out there; waiting for the moment to strike and wipe her reason for existence out. It did feel like that, like the seconds were dragging on - and she knew that it was going to drive all of them mental until they captured someone.

"- -Go to your room, Ariana, and stay there!" Bang."Move!"

Quickly standing up from her seat as the door was banged closed, Hermione took a few steps towards the door when her husband and daughter came to view.

"Dad, I- -"

"Ariana, stay." Hermione called, crossing her arms as Draco glared roughly at their daughter; not allowing her to continue on with whatever she was going to say. "What's going on?"

"What was she doing at the Ministry?" Draco asked loudly, not noticing when his son and the Potter boy began peeking from upstairs due to the commotion.

Hermione knitted her brows, looking momentarily perplexed. "She was supposed to be with Lavender. They were going to go to Diagon Alley, she asked permission."

"Well, she was suppose to be at _home_." Malfoy snapped at his wife, still wearing the glare on his face. "Do you want to risk our other daughter? Use your head, Hermione!It's not safe to let her out unprotected!"

Watching the scene from the couch, Pansy had to slap a palm on Ginny's mouth before she could let out her gasp. Both of them staring at the blonde with outraged eyes.

"It's not mum's fault." Ariana spoke up, turning to her father with guilty-eyes as her mother gritted her teeth. "She didn't know Lavender was going to the Ministry..I-I... I didn't think it would be much of a problem."

"The Ministry isn't a place for fun, Ariana." Draco continued with his furious tone. His blood boiling against his will - but no one noticed. "You were disrespectful, and I had to cut time from my job to bring you home."

Ariana tightened her lips into a line, trying her hardest not to glare back at her father. "...I'll apologize to her then, if that will make it better."

"Apologize to who?" Hermione questioned, her anger contained for another fraction of a second. "Ariana, answer me." She pressed as her daughter looked down.

The teen witch sighed. "I was rude to Miss Rowle- -"She spat instinctively at the name of the secretary. "I told her to piss off when she gave me a coloring-book."

Pansy let out a tiny snort, imagining the scene. (She was sure Hermione was proud of her little Ana for that.)

"She has no respect for her elders."

"Oh, and how terrible is that." Hermione hissed sarcastically. "I'm sure that the woman deserved it, Ana is never disrespectful to people who don't deserve it."

"She will apologize, Hermione." Draco said seriously. "I will not have rumors circling around that my children are uneducated, bad-mannered, brats."

"How about the rumor about you being _too_ defensive of your secretary?" The brunette woman practically shouted, her anger no longer controlled. "My daughter will _not_ apologize to that woman, Malfoy."

Breathing in through what felt like stranger-lungs, Draco felt like his insides were being jerked around. Forcing his limbs to move, his eyes to glare, his mouth to spit out venom, and he couldn't do anything about it. "- -Didn't I tell you to go to your room?"And it was because of that lack of control that he grabbed his daughter's arm with deep fury and shoved her towards the staircase.

"Are you insane?" Hermione barked, launching herself towards Ariana before the girl stumbled over the first step.

Scorpius had appeared at the top of the stairs, looking both confused and cautious while his sister leaked a few of the tears she had been holding in. (His firm grip felt more like a punch to the face.)

"Go to your room, Ana!"Draco ordered again, pushing his wife a few steps back and grabbing his daughter once more; this time with a firm grip on the collar of her shirt and the back of her hair.

"- -_Flagrate_!"Snapping out her wand instantly after Draco shoved Ariana roughly up the first three steps, Hermione made sparks of fire explode in front of his eyes; distracting him enough to let Ariana loose. "Get out of my house, Draco."Hermione said with all the fury a mother could have and all the scorn a woman has in her body. Her wand was still raised high, her wand-tip still glowing as her fingers clutched on to it with all her might. "Get out and don't come back."

"This is _my_ house."Draco said through clenched teeth, eyeing the brunette woman as he inhaled the anger in the room.

Hermione shook her head, her brown-eyes filling up with tears. "Not anymore, Draco." And it was the hardest thing she ever had to say, but she did it. It was obvious he had made his choice, and she was not about to let him mistreat their children for _another_ woman. She didn't know who was standing before her, but she knew she needed to get him out - and that was tearing her to pieces. "_Leave_."

Draco took a step away from his daughter, leaving her stunned as his feet touched the floor of the house. He could see all of it happening, but like the color of his eyes, there was a light-gray shade of something in between his imprisonment and the outside world. He could see the damage he was making,but the more he tried to make a signal that he was there, that it was a trap, the more he lost the little fight he had left. He didn't know how he was going to get out of it, the spell was too well-binded. And he didn't want to wake up to reality when he had lost everything and there was no getting it back.

Tanya Rowle was playing the cards right, and her next move was for him to break down all he cherished and loved.

"Dad."Ariana squeaked, her silver eyes shot open as her father headed straight for the door. "Dad, where are you going?" Her chest heaved in panic, her sight glazing over by her tears as she turned towards her mother. "Mum, do something!Don't let him go!"

But Hermione stayed silent, repressing the sobs threatening to escape her body at the sight of the man she loved walking out the door so easily; without any fight. Like the past fifteen years of marriage never meant a thing.

"- -Dad!"

"_Termino_- -"Turning around in dismay as the door closed before she could reach it, Ariana cried at the woman who forbade her to get her father back. "Come with me, Ariana."

The girl shook her head, tears falling shamelessly at Ginny and Pansy walked their way towards her mother; trying to subdue their shock and glances of worry. "No."

"Come with me, Ariana." Narcissa Malfoy repeated to her granddaughter, waiting a second of hesitance. Narcissa placed a palm on the back of Ariana's back, leading her down the hall. "It'll be alright." She whispered.

"Hermione? Are you okay, darling?"

Not having enough strength to roll her eyes at Pansy, Hermione settled on a simple nod. A strong headache pressing the sides of her head together, adding to every other pain she could possibly feel. "...It needed to be done."

"Sure." Ginny murmured to her friend, knowing that nothing they could say at the moment was going to change how Hermione felt. So instead she reached over and gave her a hug, the simplest act of comfort Hermione would not reject.

And as the two women clung on to her - like if they were afraid she was about to fall to pieces in front of them - Hermione blinked her eyes towards the top of the staircase. Looking deep into the torn silver-eyes of her son; his pale face looking twisted and in pain as Al put a supporting hand on his shoulder.

He gave her a glower, and then turned from his place. Disappearing from her like his father had - the same way he had come back to her many years ago. Scorpius, the reason why Hermione ended up marrying Draco Malfoy instead of living a muggle-life after the first heartbreak he had caused her.

And as her children were nowhere in view now, she clutched onto Ginny's arms, letting out the sob that she was fighting to keep in. Through a moment of selfishness caused by the pain rippling inside her chest, Hermione wondered how beautiful life could have been if she hadn't been pregnant with Scorpius and she would have vanished from the Wizardying World forever.

(Definitely a much peaceful place, and she knows it.)

* * *

** AN: Hey, guys! Okay, a few things to point out. **

**1. I really didn't know HOW to get Hermione to get rid of Draco, so if it's kinda lame, just go with it. Lol.**

**2. I'm sorry for the long time it has taken me to update. I've been sick so I've been in bed all day for the past week, and today I had enough energy to get out of bed. (Luckily I had more than half the chapter done BEFORE I got sick.)**

**3. So I hope that excuses SOMEWHAT why the ending was rushed.**

**Thanks for reading! (:  
**


	22. Hogwarts: Where the Screwed Live

**Chapter Twenty-two**

The leaves had been vibrant, but they lost their color and fell; the rain had come and poured from the skies, but the pavement eventually dried; the snow had sprinkled white and covered the mountains, but it was melting in a steady pace now. The seasons were changing fast, indicating that the time was also going away with it. With a blink of an eye everything around started transforming, starting from good and twisting into nasty shades of a murky gray.

Two months had passed, but it was already feeling like an eternity. The school year had never seemed to drag on before, but with all of the deaths, accidents, and heartbreaks that had occurred, it was painfully pulling everyone down. (Well, some more than others.)

There were whispers being spread around the castle of Hogwarts for the last couple of weeks. People muttering under their breaths about rumors they had heard, serious matters that no student should have known. Nothing was clear, no one to confirm or deny what was going around, but they still passed the word around. Heads turned when certain people walked by, others looked in mourning or in worry, others cried and hid from their peers - but then again, the mind plays tricks when you are the most vulnerable.

And those are the times you find yourself making a storm inside a goblet of water.

"- -Oi, look." Removing his glare from two Second Year Hufflepuffs that he was sure were talking about him, Scorpius Malfoy zoomed his attention back to his table as three Gryffindors came marching at a fast pace. (Making a mental-note to remind those puny kids to think twice before looking his way.) "I just got this from Alice!"

Finding himself once again - like Deja Vu - being snapped away from his fantasies of a curvy redhead, Angelo Zabini huffed as he grabbed the newspaper Fred had chucked at the center of the table. "This better not be an article on some Herbology rubbish about Professor Longbottom finding a plant that can fully cure Dragonpox." He warned. "I am not in the mood to look at pictures of old wizards with purple bumps on their bums praising Neville like Merlin with an itching-relief potion."

"_Gross_." Lily stuck her tongue out, pushing away a half-eaten pumpkin pasty. "Mum showed me those pictures before I left home, she went mental because I kept playing in the mud."

"Yeah, and everyone knows you can't get Dragonpox from the mud." Peyton Weasley chirped, tossing his emerald tie to the side and scratching his neck aggressively. "Mothers, eh?"

"Oh, bloody hell." Zabini groaned. "I let you borrow my cloak last week, Weasley!"

"Will someone just read it!" Fred shouted at the people present, earning the attention of a few other students in the library.

"- -I'll read it." Speaking softly from a seat next to the blonde Slytherin, Lana McLaggen took the newspaper from Angelo's hands before he could swat Peyton with it. "If you don't mind."

Standing next to Fred and Louis, having caught all of the oxygen she had used up when she rushed over with them, Rose raised an eyebrow at Lana. "By all means, McLaggen, go ahead." She said politely, smiling at the girl - but as soon as Lana looked down, Rose rolled her eyes. "...I didn't even know she could read." She mumbled.

"Shh."Louis elbowed her, frowning like a loyal puppy to the Slytherin witch. (That traitor.)

"_In the late hours of yesterday evening, Diagon Alley was submitted into a total lock-down by the Ministry of Magic_- -" Lana began, furrowing her brows as the table went quiet and everyone listened in. "_By the time our reporters arrived to the scene, Diagon Alley was surrounded by Ministry Officials; who closed down the entire perimeter and did not allow access. However, we would not be your _Daily Prophet_ if we could not provide you with the real scoop and the constant information we specialize in_."

"Go on, Lana." Louis called, aiming the girl as smile as she stopped.

But not paying particularly much attention to it, Lana handed Rose the newspaper; turning in the next second to look at her blank-looking boyfriend. "I...I've got this bad feeling in my chest." She whispered to him. "...My mum wrote me a letter yesterday morning, she was going to be at Madam Malkin's all day. She was helping her design new dresses for the upcoming month."

Nothing crossed through Scorpius's head because he didn't particularly care, he just did the most sensible thing he could without looking like a coldhearted bastard in front of the people. He took her hand and squeezed. (That is reassurance enough, isn't it?)

"Let's see here." Rose huffed, trying to contain her insides from vomiting themselves up her throat by Malfoy's affection towards the clueless witch. "Blah, Blah. Aha, here we are- -"She said incoherently after skimming through the article.

_ Alyssa Wood was apprehended and disarmed after attacking several families and a few others. One of which include the famous naturalist, Luna Thomas. It is reported by the witnesses present, that Alyssa Wood performed an Unforgivable on many of her victims; some that even lead back to the Leaky Cauldron where the culprit is currently staying in._

_ To these serious accusations, Head Auror Potter had this to say: "The situation was contained as soon as my Aurors appeared on site. All of those who were harmed were taken to St. Mungo's urgently, and the others sent home. Diagon Alley will only be closed until some of my specialized Aurors make their rounds. It is just a protection precaution, nothing more."_

_ Some of the injured, however, seem to refuse to place charges against the culprit. Including Mrs. Thomas who was severely hurt and finds herself in a secluded ward in the hospital. When asked about the release of an obviously dangerous witch, Head Auror Potter was not a hesitant to explain - "Miss Wood was placed under the Imperius Curse, there is no doubt about that. The skilled witches and wizards who were attacked immediately saw the lack of focus in the girl's eyes, and because of it, Miss Wood will not be held responsible."_

"- -Oh, what a load of rubbish." Angelo interrupted Rose's reading. "How can they let her go? That woman is mad! Who in their right mind attacks Luna?"

Folding the _Prophet_, Rose frowned at the dark-skinned Slytherin. "Obviously someone who is not in their right mind, Zabini." She crossed her arms as Fred gave a nod of agreement. "I met her during the holidays, she's uncle Harry's new secretary."

Lily nodded also, but much more sadly. Her eyes sparkling at the information of her Godmother being hurt.

"Something must be out to get the Thomas family, mates." Louis pointed out. "Dean did get in an accident that almost cost him his life, then Luna gets viciously attack by some nutter off the streets."He looked around at the concerned expressions. "Is it just me or is there something foul going around?"

"Whatever it might have been, it is probably over." Zabini responded. "The Ministry is involved now, I don't think we should all be too panicked. We've got the best Aurors in all of Britain."

"Technically that's not true, Teddy just got promoted." Peyton commented, scratching his arm viciously. "I think we lose to Bulgaria now."

Lily rolled her eyes and stood from the table, pulling her cousin up from his chair. "Come on, Peyton, we got to find Dawn. She's going to be distraught when she finds out."

"Does that mean we have to find the Thomas twins?" Louis's eyes shot open, watching as Rose's brother was dragged away by Lily; kicking and whining. "Because Fred and I got plans with James."

"Go." Rose ordered, pointing her finger towards the direction the little ones of her family left. "And be nice about it, Louis, it's their mother."

"Why do we always have to do the 'right thing' in this family?" The blonde Gryffindor groaned, glaring at Rose as Fred shrugged. "New rule, mate - we are no longer sticking our noses where it doesn't belong. Next time Alice Longbottom hands you something, throw it at her face and lets run for it."

"Zabini, up."

"But I- -"

"_Up_."

"But I'm not a part of your family!"Angelo reminded the girl, moaning in despair as she furrowed her eyebrows and waited until he collected his schoolbag. "I give money to the needy, Rose, I don't volunteer."

"Quit your complaining, Zabini, we're not going to enjoy this either." Louis grabbed the Slytherin's robes, pulling him out the library as Fred followed behind silently.

"I should check the Owlery." Lana said after a few tensed seconds, noticing that the redhead Gryffindor did not follow her cousins. Instead she stood rigidly by the table, her brown-eyes looking at her and Malfoy with an expecting glint to them. "I'll see you at the Common Room later, yeah?"

Nodding his head once, Scorpius stretched a little smile on his face as his girlfriend moved his blonde hair away from his forehead; taking the opportunity to reach forward and press a kiss to the skin there.

"Lovely." Rose murmured after a moment of watching Malfoy look at Lana walk away. His silver-eyes following after hers with an essence of longing, but looking blank at the same time. "You two have lasted quite long. Definitely a shocker, if I may say."

Scorpius turned to Rose, his eyes lingering on her face with that bored expression he always gave her. Not bothering to say anything at all.

Taking the seat across from the blonde, Rose tried to look friendly. Pulling on an endearing smile and trying not to glower at his face.(His people skills _sucked _and she hated that he never tried to improve them.) "I actually lost a couple of sickles along with other Gryffindor girls. We wagered that you two wouldn't last a month, but here you are...The two of you growing strong."

He dropped that bored expression, replacing it with the glare that was starting to become usual for him. "Making bets on my behalf again, Weasley? I thought you learned your lesson when you wagered that I wouldn't knock you off of your broom that one Quidditch game years back." He didn't know what was starting to anger him, the fact that the redhead had the nerve to bet against how long his relationship with Lana McLaggen would last, or if he actually had it in him to make someone happy. "You ended up with a sprained arm, do you want that to happened again?"

"Breathe, Malfoy." Rose added quickly, trying to keep the conversation at peace. "I'm just...I'm trying to tell you that I'm..._happy_ for your relationship with Lana."

It took his skilled reflexes not to raise his eyebrow in shock, so instead he gave her that tiny smile he had given his girlfriend. "She's a sweet girl."

And if he tried not to look surprised, Rose tried not to gag or roll her eyes at his comment. (Leave it to Malfoy to make everything bad. Like if she honestly cared if Lana McLaggen was sweet. The girl was a hollow bint, and Rose couldn't believe she had even lost her sickles in the first place.) "Love finds you in the strangest places, doesn't it?"

"Love is a strong word." Scorpius said automatically to Rose, correcting her statement and the suggestion of something else in her voice.

"...It is." She smiled dimly, her brown-eyes lingering on his face. "You love Lana." And something inside of her held itself together, not permitting to let that feeling of hurt in her chest take over and break something.

Scorpius practically scoffed. "I don't."

"You don't care about a lot of people, Malfoy, but when you do...there's something in your eyes." Rose whispered. "You follow Lana around with your stare and you are always cautious of every step that she takes...That's called love."

"It's called being protective of the person you are with, Weasley." The blonde took it upon himself to correct her again. (How dare she be tossing that L-word around and tie him into it?) "If Damien McLaggen wasn't so full of rubbish, he'd probably be wary of you and the disaster you storm up wherever you go."

Rose's solemn expression deflated, a frown crawling on her face. "Maybe so, Malfoy, but Damien is not afraid of love."She crossed her arms, looking angry. "The things that happen between his parents did not cripple him - nor Lana for that matter - to love the people closest to them. And unlike him, that's a quality _you_ lack."

Scorpius frowned back, even more aggressively. "What does that mean, Weasley?"

"It means that your parents have made you an idiot to love someone, Scorpius." Rose hissed at him, leaning forward as Madam Pince passed behind her. "It's just like them if you think about it."

"You know nothing about my parents."Scorpius pressed his fist roughly into the tabletop, wanting his eyes to explode flames and fry the redhead in front of him. "My parents have had fifteen years of great marriage - -" He glared deeper as the girl scoffed as his remark. "They have nothing to do with me not being 'in love' with someone - no one here is worth it."

Rose swallowed a knot in her throat and scoffed again. "_Right_."

Settling the shaking in his right fist, Scorpius straightened his back on the chair. A small sneer appearing on his face. "You disagree." He responded lightly, mock in his tone. "Doesn't surprise me, you always thought too much of yourself." And just as the redhead look taken aback, Malfoy let his sneer expand. "Let's get one thing out in the air, shall we? If I ever get fortunate enough to have a marriage like my parents, it will be with someone worth while. And you, Rose, are _not_ worth while."

The Gryffindor witch bit her lip, stopping a cry from escaping her body. "I don't- -"

"Of course you don't." Malfoy interjected, rolling his silvery-eyes as he stood from his chair. "You should pray to Merlin that McLaggen can actually fall in love with you instead of just wanting to pass the time - he's your only option."

"- -Maybe _you_ should pray to Merlin, you spineless git." Rose snapped, something inside her exploding with anger as he burst the soft bubble in her chest. "You want to have a marriage like you parents? Please. They are in the middle of a bloody divorce, Malfoy - Oh, yes, I can imagine the endless happiness you'll be in."

Feeling like he got punched in the gut with an iron beater's bat, Scorpius let his confusion seep onto his face. "What...What divorce?"

"Why don't you let daddy dearest tell you? I'm not going to break Teddy's promise." Rose grabbed the _Daily Prophet_ from the table and stood from the chair. "Have a splendid day, Scorpius."

She left him standing there on his own - his world falling all around him, but she couldn't care. With every step that she took his words echoed in her ear, and she was emotionally exhausted when it came to him. He had purposely tore her heart, and she left him there.

Finally, her turn to walk away.

**X**

She couldn't sleep.

The noises inside of her dormitory were excruciating loud the entire two hours she attempted to sleep; the sound digging their way into her eardrums and drilling themselves there. She had tossed and turned countless of times, and even attempted to count Hippogriffs for twenty minutes. But once she found herself counting the same Hippogriff for what was the hundredth time, she placed her feet on the cold marbled of the room and lifted herself away from her four-poster.

_Hope this helps._

_ I'm sorry,_

_ J.P. _

She turned the corner of the corridor, her footsteps faint and graceful on the ground as she kept her eyes focused on the thin strip of paper between her fingers. Reading the escape and silver-lining to the miserable night that she was experiencing a few hours ago.

She had walked all over the castle, even stopped inside an empty Potions classroom and sat there for what seemed like ages. Her mind was everywhere and she could not make her thoughts come back into the now and focus; everything just seemed too complex and unbearable that her mind had gone M.I.A from her own self-will.

"Password?"

With her thoughts threatening to flee into somewhere in the past or somewhere secluded, the girl looked up with the remaining of her self-control at the giant woman looking at her. Her pink dress glowing an almost faded red by the light of the candle, her old expression twisted into a scowl from the sudden disruption of her sleep.

"Password?" The Fat Lady spoke again, this time a little louder than before.

"Lemon drop." The girl said, clearing her throat uncomfortably as the portrait swung open and she could see the view of her common room. "Thank you." She added, entering quickly as the portrait began closing rapidly behind her.

_ 'In the darkness, things are always more miserable than they seem, but if you turn on the light, you remember that everything has a solution.'_

_ '...Poet, are you now, Potter?'_

_ 'I'd like to consider myself talented with words.' James Potter spoke, taking a seat next to her on the grassy ground as someone else took the seat on the opposite side. 'We knew we would find you here.'_

_ 'This is your hill after all.' Al commented in a low voice, his emerald eyes flicking towards her. '- -You should come inside, it's starting to get cold now.'_

_ 'You know what happened.' She stated, already knowing the reason why the two Potter brothers were coexisting for the time being. _

_ James sighed. 'Of course we know.'_

_ She huffed lightly, a humorless smile appearing on her face. 'You should leave now, both of you.'_

_ 'But- -'_

_ 'But what?' The girl interrupted Al, stopping him in his tracks before he could say how sorry they were and how they just wanted to help. (But they seemed to be forgetting she was not a charity case.) 'What can either of you possibly tell me to make it better?'_

_ There was silence among the three, just the sound of the wind dragging leaves across the grounds of Hogwarts. _

_ 'Love is complicated - in more ways than we will ever know.'_

_ 'Should _you_ actually be speaking about love, Al?' She turned her gaze towards the youngest Potter son, frowning deeply at him. 'You can't even fight for what you want, what can you possibly say? You know nothing about love - neither of you do.' She corrected before she could throw all the pressure at Al as she caught sight of James as well. _

_ 'I love you.' James said, placing a hand on hers. 'You know I do.'_

_ She scoffed again, but it was drowned away by the intense silence Al Potter submerged himself into. He just watched as the leaves keep flying by them, his fists clenched together, and his brother wooing the smallest concept of love he had left._

_ She was right, and they all knew it. That's why the silence reigned on and she was left to wallow in her misery._

"- -You're late."

Blinking away the memory she had before the sun had faded away, Ariana furrowed her brows at the figure glowing orange by the fireplace. "...What are _you_ doing here?" She asked in a whisper, crossing her arms as she stopped on her way towards the girls dormitories.

"Waiting for you."Silver-eyes that burned copper because of the flames turned to look up at her. Appearing solemn and blank as hers looked disturbed and slightly shocked. "You took your sweet time in the Potions classroom, but you did leave right on time. Mrs. Norris was starting to circle that level of the castle when you decided to leave."

Ariana frowned lightly. "How do you even know any of this?"

"A handy-dandy map, beast." Scorpius raised a wrinkled pack of parchment at his sister, his body still comfortably sprawled on the small couch by the flames of the Gryffindors fireplace. "It shows you where everyone in this castle is at any minute of the day." A sneer crossed his face. "For example, if you wanted to know where the Poltergeist was, I can tell you Peeves has spent the past hour in the girls lavatory in the second floor."

"I knew Moaning Myrtle was cheerful lately."Ariana grimaced. "It seems like she has gotten herself a boyfriend."

"Even the dead need company."

But as quickly as she was getting side-tracked by the nasty piece of information, she pulled on her frown again as her brother's sneer glowed by the fire. "Where did you get the Marauders Map from Scorpius? And how did you even get in?"

Tucking the map back into his Slytherin robes, the blonde boy shrugged at his sister. "Al let me borrow it. It seemed he was feeling rather guilty about a fight you two had, and he knew you were going to sneak your way out." He stared at her like he knew that there was a deeper meaning to the reason why she had been fighting with his best friend a lot more than usual. (And even though his skin began to crawl at the mere thought, Malfoy did his best not to hex Al in the face when he handed him the map.)

"That map belongs to James." Ariana pointed out, ignoring his penetrating gaze. "He's going to kill your little friend once he finds out he took his map."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, not particularly caring. "How did you manage to get out, beast? Did the giants pull you out the window?"

"You still haven't told me how you got in."

"Little Lily Luna of course." Scorpius said with a tone that suggested that the answer should have been obvious. "It seems that all of Gryffindor-house is quite worried about you, beast, that none of them particularly cared that I was hanging about in their common room. They all knew why I was here, and no complaint escaped them." He uncrossed his arms, smiling. "Especially not from the girls of this house. I practically caused a riot, none of them wanted to go to bed."

Ariana rolled her eyes. "Well...apparently we found excellent help with the Potter family." She raised a black cloak in the air, letting her brother take in the magic of the material she was holding.

"That belongs to Al." Scorpius replied, throwing her another all-knowing stare as he mimicked her. "He's going to hex your little boyfriend to pieces once he finds out that he is lending the Potters famous invisibility cloak out to any animal he sees."

And at that, Ariana lost any shred of interest to know why Scorpius had invaded her common room; she just gave him a glare and hoped he would combust into particles that would fly out of the nearest window. "...I'm not in the mood to fight, Scorpius."She mumbled tiredly as she plopped herself on the seat next to him. "Just leave."

At the proximity the girl had taken, Scorpius recoiled into the corner of the small couch, his eyes turning to look at the flames giving them warmth. "...Did you ever imagine we would find ourselves in this situation?" He asked her lowly. "...Not knowing how to handle it?"

The Gryffindor fingered the cloak on her lap, a knot appearing inside her throat. A knot full of emotions that it was forbidding any wave of air to pass down normally. "I always...I always thought they would last f-forever." She braved herself to say through the knot. "I just d-don't understand what went wrong.."

"Everyone talks to us like we are clueless." The blonde's voice came out a bit rough. Frowning at the memories of people just patting his back, giving him a smile like he was four again and he had just lost his owl and they tried to explain 'where' it went. (It was dead, not coming back - how hard was it to get to the point instead of making him believe there was some owl-heaven?) "And what's worse is _they_ don't talk to us..."

Ariana felt a burning sensation build underneath the skin of her nose; causing her eyes to water in the process. "We are supposed to be a family." She squeaked against her will, her chest contracting from the lack of oxygen she was getting. "What about _D-Demi_? They have forgotten about her, Scorpius. How can...We're just not complete anymore. Everything has gone to hell and that's it...That's i-it.."

_I don't want love to destroy me like it did my family, _Scorpius thought to himself bitterly as he watched his little sister blink away a few tears. He had spent the rest of the day since Rose Weasley brutally told him about the divorce between his parents locked away inside himself. He had clenched his teeth, his hands formed in fists, and the cruel fight in his blood ready to ignite itself into dangerous sparks. He had pushed his best friends away, loathing that they all already knew about his situation before him. (All of them sworn not to say that the Malfoy family no longer existed.)

But as he walked around in his secluded anger, he ended up in front of the Fat Lady. Not exactly knowing at the moment why he was there but that when he looked at the lonesome dot on the map that read _Ariana Malfoy _in a Potions classroom, Scorpius figured that there _was_ someone inside the castle of Hogwarts that did get him. There was someone who was lost in solitaire, someone who had the same anger burning in their heart, someone who also had their world crashed down around them.

He never had much to say to her - basically because he was sure his mother had picked her up from a gang of trolls and she was inferior to him - but Scorpius had the strangest sensation that he just needed to be there for Ariana. Because she was that someone; that someone that understood his silent pain.

"Demi, you, and I- -" Without knowing what was possessing him, Scorpius pushed himself away from the corner of the couch; throwing an arm around Ariana's her completely off guard, causing her to raise her fist in the air for defense at his sudden contact. "We are still a family, beast."

Their matching silver eyes connected, the two offspring of Hermione and Draco Malfoy looking at each other for the first time in years with gazes of sympathy. A look of warmth, of understanding; of brother and sister.

And with a quivering bottom lip, Ariana did something she swore that she would never do in her life. She cried - cried in front of Scorpius. She clung onto her brother's arm, letting him reel her in towards his chest as she gripped his Slytherin robes with that anger in her blood burning like flames.

Narrowing his eyes from the overload of emotions and misery circling the Gryffindor common room, Scorpius whispered the main thought carving itself onto his brain. "...We're still a family." Not sure whether he was trying to ease Ariana's pain, or convince both of them that it was true.

Because his family was torn now, and he knew that he needed a miracle to make it work again. But as a Malfoy he was positive of one thing - there was no such thing as a miracle.

They were screwed, and that was that.

* * *

**AN: Hmmm...Can you guys sense the love? No? Well then, I guess I did my job. Lol.**

**I had like this major idea planned out in my head about how Scorpius and Ariana would show their sibling love and all that nice fluffy family stuff, but then I thought...THEY'RE MALFOY'S! That does NOT work out. Lol. So this is the closest it came to, hope you like.**

**Thank you so much for all of you that wished my sickness away. It made my week :)  
**


	23. What Can't Be Saved

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

She was coming to life - removed once again from that frozen state that she had been living through for what seemed like ages. It was like she had been placed in a pit of fire, the flames of something magical burning away the ice that existed inside of her; that held her captive. There was still white all around, but she could finally move again and that's what mattered to her.

As soon as she was able to sit up, she heard familiar voices echoing around the foggy room. But this time, instead of going into a panic due to the lack of color and human-contact in the room, the little blonde girl focused on the voices. Looking all around her until she spotted a window inside the room she was locked in; a window with a clear view of the outside that wasn't there the last time.

She managed to crawl her way towards the new window, past the cold fog circling the air. And as she reached the window, debating about how exactly she was going to get a peek through the glass, the window dropped lower and lower. Ending up in the perfect height to get a glimpse of the outside, of whatever existed out of the white room.

"- -_Thank you, James_."

Through the window, standing on her wobbly short legs, Demetria Malfoy felt her little heart bang happily inside of her chest. Her body filling up with an exhilarating bliss as she in fact knew the voice that had woken her up from her deep sleep.

It was her sister's voice, it was Ariana.

And in all of her excitement, Demetria focused back into the view out the window as she also recognized the person her sister was talking to. "- -_Didn't do anything reckless with it, did you, Ana?_" James Potter had asked, a tiny smirk on his face as he looked up from an open book sprawled on his lap. "_Dad would have murdered me if it would have been taken away. McGonagall had already warned him about handing us the cloak._"

Trying not to get distracted from the marbled walls nor the ruby and gold colors inside the dimly-lit room, Demetria kept her eyes glued to her sister as she handed James a folded cloak. "_...I'm sorry for being a complete wench with you lately_." Ariana muttered uncomfortably, her eyes narrowed at the older boy. "_I...erm...thank you._"

Outside the fogged room, James reached for the cloak - but instead of taking only what belonged to him, he grabbed Ariana's hands as well. He gave her a deep look, something glittering in his eyes that Demetria could not understand as she watched from the opposite side of the glass. "_It's been a few days, how are you feeling?_"

Ariana tried to tug her hands away, but sighed in defeated after a second when James did not let go. "_I don't want to talk about it, Potter._" She said in an irritated tone. "_Can you let go now? I've got an essay I need to turn into Professor Flitwick and I haven't much time left._"

"_You don't fool me._" James frowned at the girl. "_What's going through your head?_"

"_What do you think?_" Ariana snapped, again trying to pull her hands away from the oldest of the Potter children. "_That I have butterflies and rainbows invading my thoughts, Potter? That I'm painting my world in bright shades of brilliant colors? _No_. I'm miserable. Now let go._"

Demetria's excitement to see her older sister slightly faded; a feeling of worry taking over her little body as she could see the misery in Ariana's eyes.

But why - why was that misery there?

"_I can't let you go_." James whispered, distracting Demetria from focusing too much into the hurt radiating off of her sister. A pain that was clearly beginning to fog up the clear view the little blonde girl had through the window. "_I'm trying to be here for you, Ana. I'm not Al, you know._"

Ariana glared at the older Gryffindor as he stepped closer to her, forgetting his book. "_What is that supposed to mean?_"

But as both Malfoy girls expected an answer from James, they got no response. Except that the oldest of the sisters received the shock of a lifetime when the boy closed the distance between them - pressing his mouth down onto hers. A hand lost inside her caramel-colored waves, pushing her into him as she placed a palm on his scene not showing whether she was trying to push him away or hold on to him.

"_Oh, that is bloody disgusting._" Reading her exact thoughts, Demetria was glad to see that a redhead interrupted the odd interaction between Ariana and James."_Studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts, my butt_." Dominique Weasley frowned at her cousin.

"_Oi, not in the common room!_" Fred appeared there too, behind Dominique and other Gryffindors who happened to walk into the scene. "_There is a contract we all took._"

"- -_So that's James._" Demetria was knocked back from the window as a gust of air flew inside the room; causing a havoc like a mini tornado. The window she had been looking through disappeared, leaving her inside the fog once again with nothing but the memory of her sister's sad eyes. "_He looks more like Prongs the more he grows up._"

Making herself sit up after the fall she had experienced, Demetria found someone inside the room with her. A man with dark, curly hair. His brown-eyes looking at the wall where the magical window used to be, a smile on his handsome face as he talked to himself.

"_Prongs is James's grandfather._" The man spoke again, this time looking down at the blonde child. "_My best friend._"

She blinked at him, very disappointed that her grandfather was not inside the room with her. That Lucius Malfoy was not making the fog and white fade away like he did the first time she woke up from her binding prison.

"_I'm Sirius Black, by the way._" The curly-haired man said, smiling still as his eyes seemed to come back to focus from his previous mumbling. "_You can say I am your great-uncle of sorts, but just call me Sirius, alright? I died too young to be anyone's uncle._"

Demetria blinked again, more perplexed by the second and every word the man spoke.

Able to read the deep confusion on the toddler's face, Sirius Black rolled his eyes in annoyance as his task became a little more difficult. "_This is _not_ how I wanted to spend my day_." He muttered to himself. "-_ -I'm here to deliver a message, Demi._"

The little girl raised her eyebrow. "_M-My granddad_." She said with her angelic tone, but sounding very demanding at the same time. "_Grandad, _now_._"

"_Yeah, yeah, well Lucius is a bit occupied right now, okay?_" Sirius huffed at his great-niece. "_Look, girlie, don't be giving me that stare - it reminds me of your mother, and it's nerve-racking. Your grandfather had to be off taking care of another issue, and since I'm your only family on the other side, I took his place. Got it?_"

Demetria stuck her tongue out, grateful that her grandfather Lucius was not around to see such distasteful act.

Muttering something incoherent and probably rude, Sirius sighed as he pulled on a grave expression on his handsome face. "_The time is coming, Demi._" He sounded important, almost like he was discussing serious business with the infant as he went directly to the point. "_It's been a while that you have been stuck in this bind, and we are very proud of the strength you have demonstrated by holding on. But..._"He cleared his throat, pausing for a bit. (Oh, why did he have to be there today? She was a child, for Merlin's sake.) "_...But the end is near._"

The blonde girl blinked her confusion away, this time understanding perfectly well why the man had appeared inside her imprisonment. She looked up at him, bravery shinning in her eyes as she gave him a single nod. "_Death_." She replied in a clear voice, the tone of a child no longer in it.

Kneeling down at the girl, Sirius placed a soft hand on her golden curls. "_I wouldn't expect anything less from Hermione's child._" He said to her, smiling despite the revelation he had given her. "_...You won't be alone for too long now, company's on its way._"

And the swift gust of thick air blew again - erasing the man from inside of the room, leaving Demetria to feel the ice take over her body and send her to an immobile state.

_ Daddy_, she thought as everything around her began to turn into nothingness once again.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"- -The day is fast approaching." Looking away from the muggle-contraption that made too much noise, stormy eyes found the pale face of a two year-old little girl. Marveling the gaze of the child even through her wires and lifeless state. "And I got nothing to show for it."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A sigh broke out in one of the cold rooms of St. Mungo's, the sound echoing off the pallid walls. "I wish you could say something." There was silence, just like always. "...Not that you ever said anything."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A snort. "But you never fooled anyone, even when you thought you were." Then there was a pause, erasing any fragment of humor that could have appeared in the hospital room. "However...you're too smart for your own good, you must have known we were on to you."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"...We've never done this before, have we?" No response. Not like one was expected at that juncture, it was just customary when one was having a conversation to wait. "Never talked.." Silence. "I...I'm not sure whether I'll remember...maybe it will be too late then, but we've got to do this more often if we ever get the chance."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Just you and I." Bouncing off the walls, a choked inhale was heard. Something that was caused by a heartbreaking emotion, but also by something that was trying to be controlled and stopped. "F-Father...Father and d-daughter."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"_Argh._" Draco hissed, streams of shocks invading his internal system as a pressure began invading his mind; taking over the images and memories he was having of the child before him. "_Argh_."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"- -What are you doing here?"

But as his body began being pulled my imaginary strings and forces beyond his control or say, Draco was snapped away from his fighting with the invisible force as the door of his daughter's hospital room was opened.

"Well?"Hermione Malfoy asked, awaiting for a response as she frowned at the unexpected blonde man in the room.

Gripping the words that were fighting to get out, Draco blinked his silver-eyes blankly at his wife. "She's my daughter too." He replied simply but coldly.

Hermione narrowed her brown-eyes. "How can I forget?" She said sarcastically, crossing her arms in irritation.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"What?" Malfoy asked the woman, an anger that was formulated to be in his blood began to boil as she gaped at him. "Want to say something? Spit it out."

The brunette hardened her stare, inhaling deeply before she attacked the man. "I'm waiting for you to get out, Malfoy, that's what."

"There's a spacious waiting room a few hallways away, you can wait there if you'd like." Draco retorted. "I'd like more time with Demi."

"Oh, so you remember you have a daughter now, is it?"Hermione glared, taking a step away from the door; closing it behind her as she could here footsteps outside. "Funny, Malfoy, but where the hell where you yesterday? Two days before that? Last month? Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"I was working, Hermione. Don't try and make me feel guilty about that." The man defended himself from the woman's accusing tone. "I'm working my hardest to get the people behind the attack that put our daughter in this state."

"Your daughter needs you _here_!" Hermione hissed. "You seem to forget that when you are trying to be the hero."

"Funny, Hermione- -"Draco spat, glaring with his signature scowl as strange venom continued to pump through his system. The venom designed to attack and injure his wife; to make her suffer against his will. "Is that why you wanted that entrance into the case? So _you_ can be the heroine and feel better for being the cause of Demi's comatose state?"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Hermione erased the step she had taken towards the man, a knot of something extreme blocking her airway as she looked at the blonde with a pained expression. Shock taking over her body as the pain began to make its effect in her chest.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"...You think it's _m-my_ fault?"

_Of course it's your fault, mudblood. _"...I..." The voices inside his head began to shout commands; saying insults and forming sentences that Draco would never dare to say to Hermione in present times. "...Does it matter?" He managed to say, the best thing he could come up with without his prisoner setting him free or obeying it either.

"...Not from you, anyway."The brunette muttered back, trying to swallow her knot. "Why are you here?" She asked after a second or two of silence.

Draco knitted his eyebrows, the venom halting. "I don't know." He said sincerely, getting flashbacks of Tanya Rowle pointing her wand at his head, mumbling spells and orders, and then the memory of shaking hands in greeting with Dean Thomas, his daughter's Healer.

"...Will you be around when she wakes?"

"Is there an estimated date when that will happen?" He replied, watching as Hermione lost her gaze at the glass crib separating them.

Hermione's bottom lip trembled, her head slowly shaking her curls. "No, but I hope." She bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions from flowing out. "At least...I wouldn't want to bring her balloons and streamers to this place."

Feeling everything inside but showing nothing on the outside, Draco gave a single nod.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

And as the silence reigned on, Draco walked towards the glass crib; stepping over wires and ignoring the muggle-contraption as he leaned down towards the comatose little blonde girl. "...Don't let me forget." He whispered so low that he hardly heard himself, pressing a kiss to his daughter's cold forehead as the strings of his prison stopped for that tiny second. (The love of a father stronger than any spell imaginable.) "- -Well, I guess I will leave you two alone." He turned to the brunette woman, eyeing her indifferently.

"Do you regret what you did, Draco?" Hermione spoke instantly, not even letting the man get close to the door so he could disappear from her. (It had been days since she last saw him, and even though she hated to admit it, her heart had not been the same since.) "...I need to know." She added, trying to justify her curiosity.

Malfoy stared at his wife, his outer-shell again as plain. "What do you think, Hermione?" He questioned, able to diverge the venom.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"I use to think loads of things, Malfoy." She replied, that knot forming once again as she stared straight into his silver gaze. "Like...I thought I'd probably be a Weasley, but instead I married you." She fought with herself, trying to hold her composure as she spoke. "I thought our forced marriage was never going anywhere, but I loved you...I thought I was freed from you before, but we got Scorpius- -"

Draco looked away, not being able to handle the glistening in his wife's eyes. (No matter how incoherent he was.)

"I thought we had all we could ask for and our happiness was genuine, but you shattered that..."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Despite that, I thought you'd stay, Draco." Hermione swallowed, tears blurring her vision. "...You had three reasons to stay, and one of them is laying in that crib."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Looking back up to the shattered expression on the brunette's face, Draco took charge towards the door. "Goodbye, Hermione." He said, opening the door and walking out before he could break her even more.

**X**

"- -Ron!"

At the shout of his name, a redheaded man looked away from the flashing of intense lights in front of him. His blue-eyes widening at the collapsing wall that was heading his way as his best friend flew backwards; unable to send help his way.

"_Deprimo_!"And right before the shreds of glass and marble could crush Ron Weasley to a disturbing death, a strong wind swooshed towards the crumbling-wall. Sending it flying backwards and away from the redhead. "- -Stay focused, Weasley!"

Nodding once at the blur of a silver-eyed man, Ron raised his wand up high at the wizard moving dangerously towards him. " _Expelliarmus_!" And the raging battle continued.

At that certain point, none of the people on the defending-side could remember how they had gotten to the decaying building they were being attacked in. Perhaps it was the flashing lights and spells being thrown their way, or the danger and death crawling through every corner that they turned that forbade them to remember who had made the call. Who had reported the attack, and what had been the cause of the violence.

But not Harry Potter; he remembered the cause and the uproar as the memory played in his head as he picked himself off the ground again.

'_Dad! Dad!_'

"_Obscuro_!" Through the spells flying everywhere, Teddy Lupin impaired the vision of his attacker; halting the man from sending the torture curse his way. "_Levicorpus!_" And once the man had lost his sight, Teddy made sure that the attacker went soaring towards the ceiling and away from his protecting-path.

"- -You should have killed the bastard!" Auror Johnson hissed at Teddy, hexing his own attacker into a motionless state after he caught sight of the blue-haired wizard's noble defense of one of their own. "This isn't training anymore, boy! You kill them before they do it to you!"

Teddy frowned at the Auror as he helped Auror Amelia Boot up, dodging another spell heading his way as he could see his father between the bright lights. Watching the man in battle - like an insight to the history of their Wizardying World and their savior. "I don't kill, Johnson." He had said to the sandy-haired Auror. (After all, his father had taught him the importance of life - and that included the grimy ones of evil people alike.)

Auror Potter turned in his stance, throwing a quick look at his son before he continued on.

_'Teddy, what is it?' The Head Auror had looked away from the two men seating across from him as his adoptive-son rushed into his office. _

_ 'Did you find another compromising baby picture Tonks kept of you?' Ron chuckled, turning towards Teddy. 'Are you naked in it?'_

_ 'We just got a report from the connections of the Ministry in France- -' Teddy ignored Ron's joke and looked at his father and at Draco gravely. 'An attack broke out in the ambassador building, they got Percy.'_

_ Wretched expressions were exchanged between the members of the Weasley/Potter clan; Harry and Ron waiting to hear the rest of Teddy's report as they stood from their respective chairs. _

_ 'The attack was led down towards the outskirts of Paris. We have to go now and take over the situation; Kingsley ordered it.'_

_ 'What about my brother?' The redheaded man had practically hissed, his freckly-face turning pale. 'Where's Percy?'_

_ The question was left unanswered as commands started barking out from the Head Auror's mouth; calling in all of the Aurors in the special case assigned to them by the Minister of Magic. _

"Uff- -"Landing on the torn floor of the ancient French building, a brunette woman rolled herself quickly onto her back as a jet of green light hit the floor on her right; barely missing her by an inch. "_Incarcerous_!"

Noticing one of the many attackers inside the building land on his back with ropes binding him immobile, Draco Malfoy turned to look at the Head Auror race his way towards the brunette. Something inside of his chest settling itself as he found the woman breathing and moving; calming the voices in his head.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked loudly, helping her off the ground as Ron casted a bubble of protection at the two as he ran to them. (Typical Golden-Trio behavior; always protecting each other like a reflex despite of anything.) "You should have sat this one out, 'Mione."

"I'm fine." Hermione snapped at her best friend, dusting herself off and clutching on to her wand as she aimed a quick glance at the blonde looking at her. (A sort-of nod exchanged between the two, letting the man know that it was alright for him to move on his path.) "Now, _move_!" She added, waving her wand in the air and sending a flash of light towards a deranged woman aiming a spell at the three.

Everything around the Aurors was crackling down. The walls of the building blasting off, sending shreds of marble and plaster in every direction; the windows of the place breaking apart, the glass becoming method of weapons for both sides of the battle; the historic chandeliers dangling beautifully in the once-respectable building came crashing down, squashing anyone in the way as it added to the clutter on the floor.

The battle was definitely at its prime - becoming the marker of the past destruction that attackers had left in the lives of the people the Aurors were trying to protect. Of their precious new world.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"A body landed on the ground with a thud, heads turning for a quick second to see what side had lost a member. And at the sight of a shiny badge facing towards the ceiling, the battle continued with a fresh wave of lights and spells.

It was the second Auror to fall dead in less than half an hour.

"_Stupefy_!" Teddy shouted, his voice squeaking towards the end as he sent his spell towards the figure that had murder his fellow Auror. There was something glistening in his gray-eyes, clouding over his vision as he could still see the rigidness of the fallen Auror. (Of a bloke that started the program when he had.) "- -_Stupefy_!" He shouted once again, his wand pointed at another direction as his body filled with anger.

"_Avada_- -"

"- -_Protego_!" Covering the burst of green light that would have ended the existence of Teddy Lupin when he turned his back, Auror Johnson turned towards the newly-appointed member of his team. "See what I mean, kid? Get them before they get you!"

"Ron, on your left!" Hermione yelled, ducking once again as a deadly spell was aimed at her head. "_Glisseo!_" She pointed her wand-tip towards the staircase of a new hall she had ran into; making the two attackers racing down the steps slide down with a heavy hit to their heads as they collide with the ground.

"_Impedimenta!_" Ron had hissed, blocking the Unforgivable that was headed at him. "Where is my brother, you son of a bitch?" He glowered, aiming another unmentioned spell towards one of the unknown attackers. "Where?"

"- -Visiting the bloody werewolf and his wife!" The attacker had retorted back, cutting through Ron's spells easily and expertly as he caught the infuriated attention of the blue-haired Auror. "Or having a family reunion with the other dead Weasley."

With a curse that's too colorful to be expressed, Ron launched himself forward to the man that had clearly brushed up on his history before joining the battle. "- -_Petrificus Totalu_s!" And as the attacker flew back in a bind, Ron raised his wand to the man's head. "_Avada_- -"

"No!" Teddy blurted, pushing the redhead man away from the frozen attacker. "It's not worth it, Ron! We'll find Percy!"

"_Confrigno_- -" Away from the other Aurors in the levels below of the building , Hermione sent flames out of her wand at a cloaked woman that had knocked Draco down onto the floor. "This is how you defend yourself, Malfoy?" She glared at the blonde man as the woman recoiled at the flames threatening to eat her. "Pathetic!"

"Is this really the time?" Harry shouted at his best friend, sending another witch flying back into a wall before she charged towards Hermione. Crumbling it completely down in the process. "_Protego_!"

"Clever as always, Mister Potter!" A woman crackled with a mental laughter; her knotted blonde hair creating the illusion the witch had just arrived from the slums of France. "We wonder how long your luck will last, though!" She added, sending a jet of light towards the Boy-Who-Lived.

"- -_Crucio!_"

"Argh!" One of the new Aurors was knocked on her back from a searing pain invading the bones in her body; making her scream like someone had just dug a knife through every layer of skin. The experience of the torture of an Unforgivable at such a young age marking her insides.

"_Stupefy!_" Harry Potter hissed at the man causing the Cruciatus Curse; stopping her screeching pain.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

"Draco!"Hermione screamed at the same time the spell was sent towards Auror Malfoy; running as fast as she could towards her husband. "- -_Expelliarmus_!" She hissed, diverging the green light from touching any part of Draco as she knocked him down on his back. "What's wrong with you?" She slapped the blonde man's chest. "Be careful, Malfoy!"

Interrupting the response of Draco, one of the attacking-witches chortled manically at the sight of the husband and wife. "Now, if you could have gotten that quickly to his father, Mrs. Malfoy, Lucius would still be here ." She teased darkly.

Hermione raised her head, glaring with venom at the woman.

"Or your precious half-blood baby would still be alive."

"- -_Stupefy_!"

"_Impedimenta_!" The woman shouted, protecting herself from the stunning spell the Brightest Witch of the Age had thrown at her. "Come and get me!" She laughed as Hermione leaped onto her feet; the chase beginning.

With the invisible strings pulling in every direction they wanted him to move for a very long time, Draco was surprised when his desire to run after his wife was granted. His legs moving in top speed before the Head Auror could even register that one-third of his Golden Trio was running after a murderer. "Hermione!" He yelled after his wife.

"Your shield, Malfoy, your shield!" Harry barked at his once-nemesis. "Hermione!" He yelled as well, his wand-tip illuminating with a protecting spell on the ready incase his best friend needed it.

Just as he ran up the old staircase of the French building, Draco came into a stop as he noticed his wife standing frozen at the entrance of a door; her chest heaving up and down from the run she had taken.

"...I can't believe it." She breathed, feeling the presence of her husband approaching her. "..._No_." Tears brewed in her bright brown-eyes, her waves shaking in denial at what she saw.

With his wand tightly between his fingers for precaution, Malfoy pushed Hermione back a step as he appeared at the doorway; wand at the ready for whatever was at the other side. And just as he thought he was prepared for an instant attack, he found himself mentally defenseless at the scene on the opposite side of the old door.

"Malfoy, welcome."

Nothing had prepared him to see the man of years past smiling up at him with the body of Percy Weasley at his feet.

* * *

**AN: Hey guys! **

**I'm really sorry I have not update in a very long time, but college has jam-packed me with work and all of that. But I'll try to update as fast I can. We are nearing the end of the story already :O**

**Lmao. So be ready for that.  
**


	24. And the Unavoidable

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"You look miserable there, mate, you alright?"

Slowly picking his head up from a cold, wooden tabletop, Al Potter blinked hopelessly and indifferently at the different pair of eyes staring at him expectantly; like they were waiting for him to burst into tears or talk about his feelings or just combust. "Huh?" He mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

"You've been moping around for the past three days, Potter." Angelo explained, looking more curious at his fellow Slytherin than the others.

"It's true." Lana McLaggen commented, nodding carefully at the scowl that was starting to appear on Al's face. "Well...it is." She added quickly, looking down in a slight embarrassment at his expression.

Not having an opinion or comment to share about the middle Potter's obvious depression, Scorpius narrowed his eyes uninterested in the subject as he patted his girlfriend's hand in comfort. He _had_ seen the sudden downfall of his best friend, but asking about it would imply that Scorpius actually cared - or wanted to hear about it. And although he did care, Al knew better than to try and talk to _him_ about any thing related with feelings and all that touchy-stuff.

There was no moving-conversations allowed in the Slytherin headquarters; there was a contract signed with blood by everyone.

"I'm...just tired." Al responded, running a hand into his untamed dark hair as Lana blinked her vision back up at him. Expecting him to say something. (Best friend's girlfriend, most attractive Slytherin or not, Al wished Lana would disappear at that moment. Like he needed a girl around at the time, _humph_.) "They're preparing us for the final exams already, and the professors are going mental on the work." He rubbed his eyes, stretching his arms after for display.

"Ha." Angelo snorted, looking back at Lana and Scorpius with a bit of a leer stretching on his tanned-face. "Is that what it is?" He snorted again, this time trying to repress a chuckle from coming out. "I thought your mood had to do with what my girlfriend told us a couple of days ago."

Al frowned instantly, his green-eyes narrowing with anger. "First of all, Zabini, Dominique is not your girlfriend- -"Angelo scoffed at that comment. "Secondly, _shut it._"

"What did Weasley say?" And despite his lack of desire to get into the subject, Malfoy sat taller on his chair as he looked at his two oldest friends. A slight anger and suspicion rising inside of him as he noticed the instant vow of silence among Al and Angelo. "Potter, what did your demented cousin say?"

"...Nothing." Al murmured, lowering his head back down on the tabletop. "Right, Zabini?"

Silence took over the four Slytherins as Scorpius turned his silver-eyes to Zabini; giving him that look of determination and twisted-emotion that make most people at Hogwarts back down from a glaring-battle with him. (He was skilled in the department of breaking people down, and they all knew it.)

Fidgeting in his seat, Angelo pulled his goblet of Pumpkin Juice closer to him. His finger wiping off some of the drops tracing down the glass cup as Scorpius continued to stare at him. He could feel the boring holes that the Fifth Year Slytherin was giving him, and he was sure that was the most excruciating feeling of pressure he had ever felt. (Not even the time when Dominique had him and three other Fourth Years lined on the grass of the Quidditch pitch, a beaters bat in hand, and demanding an answer of who stole her favorite lacy knickers compared to it.)

"How could this happen to me- -"

"- -Or to me."

But right before Zabini could be crushed under the peering pressure and break Al's promise, he looked up to see a few familiar figures enter the shabby pub they were in. "...Saved by the weasels." He muttered to himself, feeling his soul come back into his body. "Well, mate- -" He looked at Scorpius, nudging him towards the entrance door of the Three Broomsticks. "There's your answer."

Knowing that he was going to regret ever caring about Potter's depression or dirty secret, Scorpius felt an instant spark of fire fuel the always-present flame he had inside his chest. A rage seeping in with high fuel at the sight of Fred and Louis Weasley making disgusted faces at two people snogging by the door.

"- -Thanks for waiting for us, idiots." Roxy came in through the door, pushing her blonde cousin from her path as she dragged in Savanna Zabini from the outside. "Oh, gross. They're doing it again."

"This is _not_ how I wanted to spend my day at Hogsmeade." Savanna snapped, rolling up the sleeves of her purple v-neck and proceeding to separate the couple. "Will you quit it?" She hissed at the boy who looked dazed after his witch was removed from his mouth.

James Potter and Ariana Malfoy - _the disgust_.

"Oi, settle down, Sav, darling." James laughed, throwing an arm around the Third Year Ravenclaw as she continued to scowl. "There's plenty of James Sirius to go around if you want a snog. I'm sure Ana wouldn't mind."

"_Troll_." Savanna glared at the boy, turning to give Ariana - who raised an eyebrow at the two - an uncomfortable stare. "Handle your animal, Ariana."

"That's what Dominique told you- -"Lana asked, her jaw a little dropped as she turned to face Al's annoyed gaze. "...But I thought your brother and Ariana were already an item?"

"No, they weren't." Angelo responded after frowning at the oldest of the Potter sons. (Why in Salazar's-legacy, did Potter always have to bring _his_ sister into his bizarre moments?) "James was just courting her, but apparently they've snogged and made it official."

"..._Shut it_." Al mumbled again, looking intently into the wood of the table.

Looking away from his best friend, Scorpius frowned at James Potter. His blood thickening and his anger ticking inside of him like a clock - letting him know that he was about to go into a rage and possibly murder the Chosen One's oldest son. (Don't take it the wrong way, Scorpius could care less about the Ariana-of-it-all. What mattered to him was that Potter was now walking around like he was better because he snagged _his_ sister and that automatically made him king of the castle.)

"- -Ariana doesn't look too happy."Lana interjected, glancing back and forth from Al and her boyfriend. And once she got the attention from all three Slytherin boys, she cleared her throat and continued. "Most girls would typically be attached by the wand with their boyfriends, and Ariana always remains a few steps ahead of James. At school, you don't see them together unless he goes and looks for her." The boys blinked at her. "...Her actions make it appear that she's not that into James as it seems."

Al raised his head a few centimeters from the tabletop; looking quizzically at the usually-slow Slytherin witch. Hope running in his veins.

"Well, I bet a few snogging sessions with Potter will change her mind." Angelo commented, nodding towards the familiar group ahead; spotting Savanna and the others scowl at the kiss James was giving Ariana once again.

Al dropped his head again. (Hope was never his friend.)

Lana gave Scorpius's hand a squeeze as he continued to frown. "Kissing someone doesn't mean a thing sometimes." Her voice came out soft, very innocent-like that her house-mates gave her their attention once again. "You can kiss a random stranger or a friend, and maybe feel fireworks...or maybe not feel anything at all." She took a low-key inhale, her fingers slowly slipping from Scorpius's underneath the table. "Same things applies with relationships...Sometimes we hold on to one, knowing that there's nothing there, but refuse to let go for selfish reasons..."

Malfoy let his frown fade, a confusion taking over him. Deciding to ignore the message on Lana's face, he reached over for her hand; lacing his fingers through hers. But Lana didn't squeeze back, Scorpius did the holding-on in their relationship.

"...What do you suggest for that then?" Al questioned, crossing his arms underneath his chin as he looked at the power-couple. "How do you make someone see that they _don't_ have to hold on?"

Lana smiled with radiance. "The truth."

"Truth?" Al repeated with uncertainty, like the girl had just suggested they all go out for a murder spree. "_What_ truth?"

The McLaggen girl winked at the Slytherin, shrugging at the same time as her facial expression went back to looking clueless. "Our own truth."

Zabini's mouth formed into a small 'o' shape, a mocking gaze appearing on his tanned-face as Al's eyes widened. "Oh, oh, oh. She got you, Potter."

"So- -" Al took a ragged breath, looking in overload. "You're saying...that if a person is in love with someone...they should _tell_ them?" Lana nodded, the question not requiring a verbal answer. "Okay...But what if there was obstacles? Like..._people_ who would be completely against that...love to form?"

Reaching for her goblet of Pumpkin Juice, Lana smiled at the Third and Fifth Year Slytherins; at the two best friends. "The truth always sets you free."

Al and Scorpius shared a look instantly - like Lana McLaggen had forced them to stare at each other with their own truths playing in their different colored eyes. Something Scorpius was always dreading. (Bloody hell, he should have just stayed at Hogwarts and let Potter and Zabini get lost for hours without him.)

Turning to look behind his shoulder, Al noticed Ariana stand a few inches away from her alleged boyfriend; looking annoyed as he made a joke and the others laughed at the crude remark. "Malfoy?" He called, turning his head again to the blonde sitting across from him.

"_Ooh_." Zabini scooted his chair closer to the table, a daft smile appearing on his face as his emerald-eyes glittered excitedly. "I've been waiting for this since his Second Year." He whispered secretly to Lana; both ready for what was about to come.

"You...erm...You know that...Well, we've known each other for ages, right?" Al began uncomfortably, clearing his throat every two seconds. "We've been friends..._best mates_ since you punched James in the face for locking me in my Granddad Arthur's shed when I was six with that angry gnome..."

"Quit talking, Potter." Scorpius snapped, taking the moment that the younger Slytherin took to pause in his babbling. "I was there, I remember. Now, shut it."

Al cleared his throat instinctively, and looked back down at the wood of the table. (Oh, why did he have to convince Malfoy to join them?)

"What I remember from that day, Potter- -" Scorpius continued, surprising the other Slytherins around him. "Is that you have a debt to me, and that we agreed I would call in for you to repay me whenever I wished."

Angelo kept his mouth in that 'o' shape, looking more intrigued by the interaction between his friends. (He was _so_ glad he was there at the moment, best Hogsmeade trip all term.)

"_Remember_, Potter?" Malfoy pressed.

Feeling a sinking sensation in his chest, Al nodded at his best friend. Something inside of him feeling defeated - he had been so close. "Yeah...I remember."

"Well, then, we are even now." Scorpius said seriously, squeezing Lana's hand with a little more force as he leaned back on his chair. "Go and wipe that stupid look off your brother's face, it's pissing me off."

Angelo's jaw-dropped lower and Lana bit her lip to keep from smiling at her boyfriend.

"_W-What_?" Al gaped.

Malfoy grunted, rolling his eyes in frustration. "...If...If anyone's going to sport that bloody look of victory, I rather it be you." He cleared his throat, frowning at the emotion circling their side of the Three Broomsticks. "I hate your brother."

"Go, mate, go!" Zabini exclaimed, pulling Al by the hood of his sweater as he could no longer take the seconds of silence Potter went into. "Before he changes his mind and he beats your ass!"

Scrambling on the old floor of the pub, Al headed towards the group that held his heart and blood. "Oi, Ariana! We need to talk!" He yelled as he pushed James away from his target. "_Now_."

Looking perplexed, Ariana struggled with Al as he pushed her out the door. "Let go of me, Potter, or I'll murder you without hesitation!" Was the last anyone heard as the door closed.

"He's not the smartest bloke when it comes to girls, eh?" Zabini spoke, turning to face Lana and Scorpius with a chuckle. "He finally got your blessing and he's about to die. Just brilliant."

"I'm a little shock, Scorpius." Lana whispered to the blonde Slytherin, leaning closer to him as Dominique Weasley entered the Three Broomsticks with her group and Angelo disappeared before the door closed behind the curvy redhead. "You do love her."

And as Zabini headed for his redhead, Scorpius frowned with deep hate as he spotted the redhead from _his_ nightmares. "Love who?" He asked a bit roughly, sending daggers at the back of the witch's head as she greeted the Weasleys.

"Your sister." Lana said, smiling.

"I'm not an animal-loving type of bloke, Lana- -" He looked at his girlfriend, wanting to glare at her until her smile disappeared. "Hence, I don't love my beast-of-a-sister."

"Really?" She asked with a small giggle and a little sarcasm.

"Yes." He said, his heart warming slightly as her cheeks turned a rosy color from the round of giggles she was trying to suppress. "...I love him - _Al_."

At his proximity, Lana settled the rate of her heart as Scorpius began to lean towards her with his silver-eyes closing. "Yeah, him too." She whispered, her eyes closing as well as she pressed her mouth onto Malfoy's.

Neither of them aware that a redhead was looking at them as they kissed; her bright-eyes filling with a glistening at the beautifully perfected love they feigned.

"- -Are you going to order anything, Rose?"

At the smile that passed between the Slytherin couple after they separated, the redhead looked toward her expecting cousin. "...A miracle."

**X**

She was standing there - watching him ramble on and on, without ever getting to the point. Just babbling about random crap that she did not care about, saying incoherent sentences that annoyed her, and a hold on her arm that forbade her to leave.

(Which pretty much explained why she looked ready to murder him as she shivered in the cold winter-wind that still had not evolved into a spring breeze.)

"- -And you would assume that Lana is a total idiot, but she gets it, you know?"Al looked up from the spot on the ground he was concentrating on to face the girl he was holding on to. "Do you know what I mean?"

Trying to tug on her arm, Ariana scowled at the youngest Potter son as his fingers held on tighter. (Why was it that those damn Potter boys did not get the meaning of personal space?)

"Do you, Ana?"

"_No_." She snapped, finally reaching her melting-point. "I do not get anything you have been saying for the past half-hour, Potter. All I _do_ know, is that you savagely pushed me out the door and that you are wasting my time." She threw a vicious glare at him. "And unless you specifically tell me why I am out here, I will curse you back three years, Potter."

Al swallowed. (He did always fancy a girl with a flare.) "I...erm." He coughed, panicking slightly. "Well..it's like I've been...erm...that thing...I...You and my brother...It's just...um."

"Oh, _forget it_." Ariana huffed, tugging her arm once again. "Let go of me, I'm done here."

Shutting his eyes tightly in frustration - because what the hell was going on with him - Al shook his head and gripped tighter. "How could you do it?" He blurted quickly; slightly surprised that the words came out clear.

Ariana stopped on her fight with the Slytherin for a few seconds, her eyebrow raising high at the odd emotion in his emerald-colored eyes. "Do what?" She asked stiffly in response.

"...Be with James." Al muttered simply, but he felt the pang of pain in his chest. A pain that was caused by every whisper, every sighting, every memory he saw of the two together. "He's my brother, 'Ri."

The girl shot her eyes open instantly, a flood of many mixed feelings pouring into her chest at his comment and at what he called her - _Ri_.

It had been so long since she had heard him say that; a year to be exact. It was a nickname that he had accidentally given her during their time together their First Year at Hogwarts; back when they were inseparable and he didn't act like a damn moron all the time. Before he focused all of his attention on hurting her, on following after his friends and tearing her down whenever his Master would. Back when a strange bond was forming between the two; when they needed one another like a human lives off oxygen.

Ri - a secret kept silenced between the two; an unimportant nickname that meant so much more than the two letters it held.

"- -Do you honestly care?" Ariana shot back with a look of bubbling fury, not letting him take the time to see how shaken he had made her with the slap of memory he had given her.

"He's my _brother_!" Al exclaimed a little too loudly, causing a few people to turn as they passed on by. "You're his...girlfriend. You've snogged him." He continued with a low hiss. "He is a complete idiot, Ariana, how can you fancy _him_ out of all people? What could have possibly attracted you to James?"

And as the boy was focusing on hissing at her, Ariana managed to pull her arm away from his hold. "I don't know." She replied truthfully but indifferently.

"He's not sincerely interested, you know." Al said in a tone that was a bit harsh for his usually lovable essence. "That's not who James is - that person that only exists when he is around you is not who he is."

Frowning deeper at the Slytherin, Ariana took a step back from the boy. "It's not who _you_ were either, is it, Albus?"

There was silence.

"...Of course it wasn't." She said after another second of silence between the two. "Goodbye, Potter."

"I told Scorpius- -" Al interjected quickly, his heart racing with an intense panic as the girl turned on her heels. And just as she halted on her walk, Al took a deep breath and swallowed all of his fears. "He knows...About how I feel for you."

Hesitantly turning towards him, Ariana crossed her arms as her beautiful face pulled on a blank expression. She waited - staring at him with those guarded silver-eyes that Al was always so familiar with.

"I'm absolute rubbish at this, Ariana, and you know it- -"The boy continued, clearing his throat and praying to Merlin, his Grandad James, or whoever was up in the heavens looking after him that he could say everything he needed to say without the witch walking away from him. "I've never been good at anything when it comes to you."He breathed, blood rushing. "I can deal with everything else, but you, Ariana Malfoy, drive me mental."

Ariana's arms slowly started loosening around her chest; her wall slowly sinking down as she desperately wanted to take a glance from behind it. To see him; to let his words cause the complete butterfly effect.

"I-I...I don't know where any of this will go or what's going to happen, but what I do know...it's that everything that you do amazes me." A little smile crept on Al's face. "It's been two years that I've noticed how much you shine...And I love your light, Ana."

The Gryffindor witch pressed her lips into a tight line, still not saying anything.

"...Your brother's my best mate, and he always will be...But when you're out there without me, that loyalty that I have for Scorpius means nothing because I'm miserable...I want you to be happy...but with _me_."

With a small ragged exhale, Ariana let her arms fall to her side. There was nothing left to fight with, her wall was already crumbled down by the sincerity in Al's eyes. And as much as she thrived on being cold and sometimes cruel, she could never truly be coldhearted with him.

After all, _he_ was her heart.

"I care about James, Albus." She spoke for the first time in a while, taking a step towards the Slytherin. "And perhaps us being together is strange and unnatural, but I care for him." She stretched her hand out to the boy before he could let the hurt in his eyes take over. "But he'll never be you."

A smile appeared on her face, adding as a motive for him to reach for her hand. Their fingers intertwining together; a warmth seeping into the pores of their skin as their eyes locked in a too intense emotion that was new for a pair of fourteen year-olds.

"...I love you, 'Ri."

Just like her grandfather used to say that she was not as common as the rest, Ariana settled on a dazzling smile in response. The dominate genetic in her body refused to let her say it - say what came so natural to others. But she knew that one day she would be able to; be able to say those three words that Al knew she did mean without saying.

But for the moment, she just let him put his arms around her as she muttered, "I know."

Nervousness invaded the Gryffindor and Slytherin as their eyes kept that lock between each other. That silver connected with that emerald in a way that was rather hard to comprehend because it was something so pure that neither of them had ever felt before. It was intense that it sent bolts of lightening in their blood; true bliss circling in their blood vessels as their hearts banged against their chest with a rapid speed.

And as that connection was still burning bright, Al moved one of his hands to a loose caramel-colored wave; taking it in his fingers and smiling at her as her eyes glittered beautifully. And at the sight, he couldn't help himself. He let the strand of hair slip away from his fingers, and he proceeded to move his hand to the side of her face. An action that she responded by closing her eyes as he began to lean into her.

The world was spinning out of control outside of their bubble. Everything outside covered in the brightest lights, fireworks lighting up the sky as their lips moved together in the softest of manners. In a way that made their bodies go numb, their souls flutter inside their body at the heavenly experience.

The first kiss of the first love.

"Brilliant." Al whispered gently as the two separated, his head rushing with dizziness.

A sweep of pink took over Ariana's cheeks. "Thank you." She said with a little cockiness as his hand reached for hers.

"- -That was _adorable_!"

Turning, the two Third Years found Angelo Zabini gaping like he was just hit on the hit with a beaters bat as he stood outside the Three Broomsticks with a couple standing behind him.A dramatic excitement radiating off his persona. "Can you do that again?"

"Shove off, Zabini." Al replied with a grin.

"Hello, Ariana." Lana waved at the girl next to her fellow Slytherin. "Enjoying your visit?"

Ariana narrowed her eyes at the Fifth Year and gave her a dim smile. Trying her hardest not to look at her brother. (Who looked like he was about to explode in angry sparks of fire as his matching silver-eyes yelled out that he was uncomfortable with what he had stumbled upon as he exited the shabby pub.)

"- -Oi, get a move on." Poking his head from the back of the forming crowd, Fred Weasley aimed a shove at Zabini. "You're causing a blockade here, Zabini, and we're going to be late for the train."

"And if I get detention, you prat, I'm hanging you by your knickers in a goal post!" Dominique threatened somewhere behind the students trying to get out of the Three Broomsticks.

But right before Angelo could throw a quirky remark at the redhead he was madly in love with - or before the others noticed that Al and Ariana were holding hands - a giant _BOOM _echoed down the main road of the village.

It came out of nowhere - the shatters of glass and the bright flashes of lights taking over Hogsmeade as people began to run. Hooded figures appeared from thin air, leaving behind trails of black smoke as everything started playing in slow motion; the explosions and shouts deafening the others who were in momentarily shock.

Looking back in a panic, Ariana noticed Scorpius whip out his wand instantly as the people behind him started pushing their way out forcefully.

An attacker started heading their way, his wand out and shooting out red flashes from his wand that sent a couple of unlucky people flying back into unconsciousness. And before he got to Al, Scorpius intersected the hooded-figure by throwing a hard kick to the man's stomach. Blocking him for a few seconds as he pointed his wand at the man's face; a stream of his own spell exploding at the man and diverging him from his attack.

Scorpius shouted a command at the people he had known for years; something that could not be heard in the motion of things. But all Ariana saw was everyone pulling out their wands as the riot was still going on all around them.

Another figure came charging, but this time James made himself noticed as he shoved the blonde Slytherin behind him. A rage taking up inside him as he blocked a green burst of light from hitting anyone in the group.

Everything was happening so excruciatingly fast in their heads, all the noises and spells making their blood pump in top speed. There were screams, people falling, friends fighting - they were under attack and no one knew why.

And as a deranged-looking woman knocked Savanna and Roxy on their backs, Ariana slipped away from Al's protective hold and ran towards her friends. There was an adrenaline rush taking over her body as she pointed her wand at the woman; her face twisting up in a flash of anger as she shouted a stunning spell at the attacker.

But even as they all started defending everyone around them, trying to pay close attention to the things exploding and the unknown people charging at them, Ariana did not notice when Rose started running towards her and the two fallen girls - or the man that looked at them from a hidden corner; making his way silently towards them as distraction grew.

"- -_Stupefy_!" As the spell flew with a rush of noise, Scorpius managed to get Lana from her bind with an attacker. He turned quickly only to find his body submerged into a hysteric state. "Ariana!" He shouted with a strength he had never had for his sister.

And turning with his yell, all those familiar people watched with horror as a cloaked man gripped Ariana by her hair; dragging her away from the three girls looking petrified at the sight.

"Try it and she dies!" The man roared at the wand Louis had pointed at him; as he was the closest and his threat halted the run Scorpius and Al were about to take. "Girly, you're a Weasley, aren't you?" He said casually at the redhead who was standing in front of Savanna and Roxy in protection.

Rose scowled, her heart thumping as her fingers twitched to point her wand at the man.

"Of course you are." The man spat with distaste. "- -_Imperio_!"He shouted, removing his wand-point from Ariana's neck and pointing it at the redhead. "Come here, girly, we're off for an adventure."

As Rose moved in a robotic-way towards the man, a _crack_ was heard clearly through the hectic noise still bombarding the village of Hogsmeade. The sound of apparation that instantly stopped the other hooded-figures and ordered them to disapparate and leave their damage without a second look.

"...Rose." Scorpius muttered in a chocked tone, his body slowly slumming down on the pavement of the street as Al raced towards the corner where the man disappeared with Ariana and his cousin. Looking like he was hoping that he could disapparate in the traces of fog the man left behind.

* * *

**AN: D.U.N. D.U.N. D.U.N.**


	25. With No Way Out

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

There was something circling the air of the crumbled down building; tickling the tip of their necks, tracing all the way down their spine. The odd feeling settling there, making its presence known. With all the panic and defeat racing in their blood as they began to get surrounded by the wrong side.

There was loud footsteps colliding with the old floor, people coming up the hall that led to the doorway where the battle had stopped. Where the two raging sides had ceased to throw spells; instead they held their wands at the ready. Wand-tips being pointed in every which way; the battle halted, but their need for protection still there in case anything set off the fight once again.

"- -Harry! Hermione!" And with loud noises of _thud, thud, thud _on the ground, sounding like galloping horses, Ron and a few other Aurors left behind came racing into the room the others had disappeared into. "What's..." But he paused.

"...Draco?" Teddy asked in hesitance, raising his eyebrow as he shared a quick look with his father. "What's going on?"

" 'Mione, you okay?" Ron asked, stepping away from his best friend's side as he headed to the other; something inside of him going off as he could see the tears accumulated in her eyes. The way her pale complexion glowed with disgust, worry, and grief.

"Ron, don't." In a movement too fast that Harry Potter did not calculate, his wand raised higher in a millisecond as his feet moved after the redheaded man approaching the door where their fellow Auror stood. "- -Malfoy, stop him!"

Both sides of the battle moved at the Chosen One's sudden movement and command. Wands being pointed again in different directions like a muggle concept of cowboys during a showdown; no bullets yet fired but the guns pointed to the enemy.

And just as he arrived at the doorway, looking past the shoulders of both Mrs. and Mister Malfoy, the redheaded man was stumbled back a step. "P-Percy?" Ron breathed, his bright eyes shooting open as soon as he caught sight of what laid on the other side. "Percy!" He screamed, never figuring that in his lifetime he would get to see another one of his brothers lay dead on the floor. "Percy! Percy - _You_?" He shouted in his fight with Draco; trying to break his imprisonment as Harry came to help in his collecting. "You did this?" He pointed a finger past Malfoy, looking at the man that stood on the enemy line.

There was cackling in the background, the opposite side of the battle laughing mockingly from the pain and anger in Ron's voice. "Weasley, pull yourself together!"

"Pull myself together?" Ron scoffed, trying to shake off Harry's arms as the other Aurors started glancing through the other side of the door; their wands still held up for precaution as the sneaked a peek of what was causing a turmoil in the Head Aurors second in command. "Of course you would say that, Malfoy!"

During the heated subdue they were trying to put the redhead man into, Harry and Draco shared a decisive look; a stare between two powerful and easily composed wizards. Like both men were trying to find a common ground, something they could both agree to without having to speak and give anything away.

Because they both knew that what laid on the other side of that door - what sent Ron into a rage and Hermione into a frozen state was worth more than the others might think. That it was up to them, it was their moment. And what would happen next was going to be a move that was going to save all of their side, or kill them all if the cards weren't dealt right.

"...Don't." Hermione whispered to Draco, her eyes filled with more unshed tears as she could see what the others couldn't. Of what her clever mind could calculate in less than a second. "Don't do it, Malfoy. _Please_."

He stared at her with a deep silence, almost like he was waiting for the venom that he was bewitched to spit at her to come flowing out of his mouth. Two seconds passed, long and filled with anxiousness, but nothing came.

He was free - but he wasn't sure for how long.

His mind - his _own_ mind - knew that there had been damaged done to his wife, but he couldn't risk causing more. He couldn't make it better, not there anyway. There was danger all around her, around the people he knew that meant the world to her; so he needed to fix it. He needed to make up for some of the damage that he wasn't sure he was going to be able to explain later...Because he knew the end for him was somewhere right behind him; waiting to get him. Following like a shadow.

He took her hand, his fingers twitching a little from the contact he gave her. Something true inside of him lighting up, but all he settled for was for a tiny squeeze. A little action that would hopefully give her something that he couldn't express.

"..Oh." She breathed, blinking away a few tears as she flickered her vision down to their slightly intertwined fingers.

Releasing his wife's hand and taking a step passed the doorway to the attacking side, Malfoy kept his silver eyes in a blank stare as everyone behind him grew with tension. Like his fellow Aurors were waiting for the tiniest movement to strike for him, to protect one of theirs at any cost. "...Why?" Was the first thing that slipped from his mouth, no tone of accusing or curiosity. Just plain and simple, his brain cells working together in a rapid speed as he could already feel the invisible strings in his body begin to tug and pull.

Inside the ballroom-type of area, standing on a once French historic marbled flooring, the unknown witches and wizards all pointed their wand-tips to the blonde man; sneers and crude remarks being thrown at him as he approached closer to them.

"Why _what_?" One of the men spat, looking indifferently at Malfoy.

Draco looked quickly at the body on the cracked ground, noticing the shiny badge on his vest. "Do you know what the penalty is for murdering a Ministry Official?" He looked back up, raising his eyebrow in that carefree manner that grinds on a lot of peoples gears. "Especially one in the French Embassy for starters?"

"...H-He got in the way." One of the women in the crowd spoke; trying to justify the reason why the body laid on the floor of the ballroom. Her hands shaking as she fought with herself to keep her wand raised high; trying not to let her self fear get in the situation before her. "We w-were heading for Michael Corner and the French Minister - _he got in the way_!"

"Do not explain yourself, Wilkes!" A cloaked man hissed at the nervous girl. "We got what we headed for and one more." His eyes flickered up, shinning a dark coal as they looked into Draco's for a second; then passing him to stare at the notable family standing on the other side of the door. "The Weasleys should start learning to stop meddling in others business."

"I'll bloody get you!" Ron snarled from wherever it is that he stood. "I'll make sure you rot in Azkaban! All of you!"

The girl, Wilkes, trembled her lip, her blue-eyes widening in what Malfoy could tell was a great fear, what was a mixture of regret and force. Almost like if he could see her invisible strings too - ones not created by magic but by threats. "...He's not dead." She murmured ever so slowly, her lips barely moving as she looked at the body of Percy Weasley.

Right at the moment that Draco threw the scared-girl a puzzled look, _cracks_ started to echo off the decaying walls of the building.

The tension in the air grew, one of the cloaked men of the opposing side raised his wand, signaling the others to contain themselves as many familiar faces from the Ministry started apparating inside. Sending some relief into Draco's bones as he could feel his self-willed concern fade slightly - there was more protection and a higher chance to get Hermione out without a scratch.

"- -Hold your fire!"That cloaked man had shouted at his comrades. His twisted expression trying to stay powerful as if it would help the situation; as if it would give his comrades confidence that the newly-arrived Aurors had nothing against them. "It's your call." The unknown man muttered to the only person left unmasked on his side.

Turning for a quick second, Draco exchanged another solemn look with the Head Auror. Their method of ceasing the battle and regaining control passing through them without a word; leaving it all up to Malfoy as he turned back to face the man from years past. "You're surrounded, Goyle."

And with the same look of nothingness that Draco always saw on the man's face when they were children, Gregory Goyle remained unstirred on his feet. "I can see that." He replied, his voice sounding so strange to Draco's ears. (It had been so long.) "The entire Auror Department is here, I see."

There was a hushed snicker going around from Goyle's small army.

"What's _your_ move, Malfoy?" Goyle spoke, some type of emotion flickering through his black-eyes as he looked at his old friend without a care. (Something that Draco was fast enough to catch, but too slow to discover to find the meaning of.)

Taking a final glance at the motionless body of Percy Weasley, Draco knew that at the moment the first spell was shot out - from either sides - there was going to be a lot more names being added to the list of the dead. He knew that a certain redheaded man behind him would take the opportunity to avenge his brother's alleged death; with no time being spared to explain to him that Percy lived.

All hell was going to break lose, and as an Auror it was up to him to keep composure and to bring the bad wizards in. It was up to him, as a relative, to protect Teddy; as a friend to protect his once-nemeses...It was up to him to keep the situation sedated as a Malfoy to protect what was his.

"One way or another, Goyle, you're leaving this place dead." Malfoy said after a few calculating seconds. "Whether by the wand of one of the Aurors or of your own." He continued, eyeing the other culprits as they stiffened. "...Surrender, Goyle."

At the mention of the chance for redemption, Wilkes lowered her wand an inch. Her bright blue-eyes glittering with hope as her lip continued to tremble from her intense fear.

"We thought you would say that- -" Goyle let out a small chuckle, nodding his head as a lot passed through his head. "But, I think you may want to reconsider."

"There's no reconsidering, you ungrateful bastard!" Ron shouted again from his place, all his fury adding more strain to the atmosphere. "We will overpower you in a matter of seconds! You have no way out!"

Goyle nodded again, another chuckle escaping his mouth without humor. "In that case...We bargain our escape and freedom for the lives of others."

"That's it!" Auror Johnson hissed from the background, losing his patience with the entire was his duty, after all, to bring in the guilty, not to stand around and let his fellow Aurors consider a bargain with people from their past. (The law was just, no matter if for friends or foes.) "No more bloody messing around, Malfoy! Let's finish this fight once and for all!"

And the wand-tips began illuminating themselves.

"- -Wait!" Stepping past the doorway and into the ballroom, Harry Potter looked directly into the eyes of his old classmate. "Hold your fire!" He ordered his Aurors, raising his free palm into the air as he moved to Malfoy's side. " Whose lives exactly, Goyle? Ours?"

One of the men snickered louder, tapping his wand to his ear. Signaling for Harry to listen to the things around him.

"_Let go of her, you bloody bint_- -"Just like the sounds of apparation that were heard bouncing off the walls, a few Aurors shot their eyes open at the familiar voice living inside the walls. "_You're hurting her! You're hurting her!_"

"Rose! Rose!" Ron bellowed, his heart banging faster inside his chest as he could hear his daughter scream in the invisible. "Rose!"

And then - a spat. A spat was heard somewhere around them. " _Why am I not surprised?_" And then there was another voice. Another voice that made Hermione snap from whatever immobile state she was in; sending her into the full-out rage Ron had submerged himself into. "_Of course it would be you all along_."

"Where's my daughter?" Hermione went charging forward, escaping Teddy's would-be grasp as she raced into the ballroom like a bullet out of a gun. "Give me my daughter!"

"...You took Ariana?" Draco asked, staring at his friend with betrayed and infuriated eyes as Harry stopped Hermione from attacking Goyle in full speed. "You took my daughter?" His voice grew louder, more venom leaking.

With his hand up to stop the havoc among the family members of the hostages, Goyle waved his wand to the back of the ballroom."_Finite Incantatem._" And an enchantment was broken; showing what was meant to be hidden until the moment was perfect and precise.

"Dad!"

"- -_Silencio_!"Stepping away from the middle of two chairs, Tanya Rowle smirked as the redheaded girl silenced immediately with her spell. "You two have annoyingly talkative daughters, did you know?" She glanced between her former boss and Mister Weasley. "But especially _her_."

"Don't touch her!" Hermione screamed, her blood boiling as Tanya ran a finger down Ariana's face; spreading the streak of blood that stained her daughter's face.

"Feisty."Tanya laughed, pointing her wand at Ariana's head as her mother squirmed in the arms of the Head Auror. "Now I know where she gets it from." And with another offhanded leer, the woman turned to her army up front. "- -Do it now!"

The command was shouted, then the spells started being thrown. Dozens of flashes of lights were being shot from every corner - the battle commencing once again.

And just as the Malfoys and Ron were headed towards their daughters, the girls disappeared as a an eruption happened around them.

"Get Weasley's body, Potter!" Draco shouted at Harry, pushing his wife towards him as a hope that she would get away from the spells crossed him. "He's still alive! Get him before they kill him in this mess!"

Ducking shreds of plaster, Malfoy narrowed his eyes as he spotted his target just standing in his same place. Wand lowered, no threat of an attack exploding from him as his comrades raged with war. "Goyle!" He shouted, pointing his wand with a fury as the tip of it rattled with a spell.

"...Remember my letters, Draco." Goyle murmured, closing his eyes as a jet of bright light was sent his way and his body landed with a _thud_.

And in that second, after watching his childhood friend fall, the strings were removed.

Draco was free.

* * *

**AN: Well...It's a little short compared to my other chapters, but it gets to the point, right?**

**...Right? Lol.**

**I'm sorry for not updating for a while, but College, man. College. **

**Anyway, I just want to say thank you for putting up with my late updates, but I promise I will work on it. Promise. We're nearing the ending of this sequel, so the rest should be easy-lemon-squeezy to write. :)**


	26. Of Other Miseries

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The outlook outside the window on the right side to his desk was mockingly waving at him and hitting him with warm rays of sun as he drifted away from the lecture going around somewhere before him. It was like all of a sudden the sun decided to grace the Wizardying World, illuminating everything it could touch from the earliest hours of the morning until the disgustingly beautiful sunset that took over with a purplish hue. Making flowers blossom, trees color their leaves, the Black Lake glow with a glitter, and the sky shine like the brightest sapphire.

It was sickening - how the cold weather from days before had evaporated and spring jumped at them in the worst moment possible with a high-pitched laughter that was irritating to his ears.

"Mister Malfoy- -" Snapping him away from the inner battle of rage going on inside of him because of the damned weather, Scorpius turned away from the window to see Professor McGonagall staring at him with narrowed eyes. "Care to answer the question, or are you hoping the Whomping Willow will answer it for you?"

The Slytherin pressed his lips into a tight line for a few seconds, many retorts being swallowed down as he had to fight with himself not to snap at the elderly witch. "Excuse me, Professor." He replied as politely as he could, his own eyes narrowing as his house-mates and random Ravenclaws started chuckling at his expense. "Could you repeat the question?"

_Ding. Ding. Ding._

Professor McGonagall frowned at the blonde student as the sound of the invisible-bell signaled the students of Hogwarts that it was time for them to head off to their afternoon break. "Do not forget the three-foot essay on Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration due next lesson. Resources will be required, as well as a lengthy introduction about the importance of the original laws to the modern ones."

Groans sounded around the classroom, the Slytherins looking especially irritated as the Ravenclaws smiled happily at the Headmistress. (Oh, it certainly had to be a honor that Minerva McGonagall took some special time to substitute for the regular Transfiguration teacher and teach them about the subject.)

"No complaining, Miss Fawcett." McGonagall scolded one of the Slytherin Fifth Years, eyeing her suspiciously. "Your mark in this class is barely hanging on, if you do not complete this essay with at least an Exceeds Expectation, you can be assured that you will be spending your Sixth Year stuck with this class once again. And no cheating, I'll be delighted to grade your essay for Professor Stone."

"Yes, Professor." The witch had replied with an underside of a snort, scowling roughly as she grabbed her schoolbag and headed out the door of the classroom with a stomp; following after the other students.

"- -Mister Malfoy, you stay." The Headmistress had called out before Scorpius could head out the door. (And he had been so close, he had already heard the annoying footsteps of the First Years racing each other down the corridor.) "We need to talk."

Raising his eyebrow, Scorpius turned his body away from the door, settling his bag on one of the desks near the door where some of his house-mates always fought to be seated in. "About what exactly, Professor?" He asked blankly.

"Your lack of concentration in your lessons, for one, Mister Malfoy." The elderly witch continued, standing sternly at the front of the classroom as she found her and the student alone. Taking the opportunity to be blunt. "I understand that with a mother like yours, most of this lesson was nothing more than a revision, but I do expect respect when I teach."

Scorpius rolled his eyes before he had the chance not to. "…Showing up is respect enough, isn't it, Professor?"

"Clearly, your father took the advantage on teaching _you _respect, right?" The old woman suggested, not rudeness in her voice as she could tell Scorpius fought to subdue a smirk. "- -Lack of concentration causes pity, Mister Malfoy." She added after a few silent seconds. "I hope you know that."

"…I don't know what that means." The Slytherin replied, frowning instantly as the professor suggested he was the cause of someone's sympathy around the castle. "But no one pities me, I can assure that."

"Does the act of being cruel and unreachable actually work?" Professor McGonagall asked, still keeping her wrinkly expression as neutral as she has always managed to. "Because some might think that you are actually pretending nowadays. It is no surprise to the children in this castle, Mister Malfoy, of the situation that occurred in Hogsmeade those days ago."

Silence reigned again between the Headmistress and the student - the two looking sternly at each other.

McGonagall had always known that Scorpius was a perfect mixture of both his parents. That he had gotten the strongest characteristics that both Draco and Hermione held; that he would always have the need to show the world that he was perfectly strong and standing on his feet despite the crumbling situations going on in the background. But also by that tough exterior that lives on the outside of him, McGonagall knew that Scorpius had a tender side to him just like his mother and the one his father had always tried to hide as well.

And for the past week, little by little, she had witness Scorpius' cruelty ignite into a raging flame as he found himself finger-pointed and secluded. His peers knew that tragedy had struck his family, and once Draco Malfoy had walked down the ancient corridors, heading to the Slytherin Common Room looking for his son, all hell had broken into fits of whispers and stares for the days after.

And then Scorpius's own version of hell had began - making the lives of those that pitied him miserable instantly.

But because McGonagall had learned to see through a person's eyes from Dumbledore, she knew that that rage of anger came from a distraught place inside of Scorpius. And that a person like him - like Draco and the hardheadedness he had inherited from Hermione too - needed to know there was always a little light of hope somewhere.

"Hogwarts has been submitted into a hushed lockdown, Mister Malfoy- -" The Headmistress broke the silence, fixing her half-moon spectacles on the bridge of her nose. "Every step that everyone takes around this castle is being carefully monitored at all times. There's Aurors stationed in towers and in the main gates. None of the students in the castle know…except for you." She said at once, knowing that Scorpius's expression wasn't going to break into one of shock or surprise at her statement. "And most of the Weasley/Potter clan, I'm positive."

The blonde inhaled through his nostrils, keeping his face twisted into a look of indifference. "You didn't expect James Potter not to go badgering Lupin for information?" He spoke to the elderly woman. "Well, now you know, Professor, who spills information from the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry to us civilians."

"The Order has been deactivated for the past twenty years, Mister Malfoy."

"No doubt." Scorpius replied with sarcasm.

Choosing to ignore the snide remark and the information she was sure that was given to her to sack Teddy Lupin from any future meetings of importance, Professor McGonagall frowned at the student. "Because of the security measures overtaking the castle, I suggest precaution at all times, Mister Malfoy."

But before Scorpius could even throw a response to the Headmistress of how he didn't need to take care of himself and her warning was useless - and that it would have been in better use if she handed it to the Weasleys since they lacked brains most of the time - the Headmistress headed towards the door without a second glance at him.

"Next time you're out with Mister Potter's invisibility cloak, be prepared to have it removed and sealed away with a Ministry tag on it." Was the last thing she said, leaving him standing alone gritting his teeth.

(How the hell did she know about that?)

"- -I told you." Gliding in through the half-way opened door of the Transfiguration classroom, Lana McLaggen gave her boyfriend a sneaky smile. "You can't be entirely invisible in this castle."

Scorpius kept his frown, still standing straight as his girlfriend took a seat on the desk across from him. "Years of being a cat obviously comes in handy for the Headmistress."

Smiling away his comment, Lana looked up at the boy through her lashes; looking expectantly. Waiting for him to notice something…But nothing came. "This is the first time we've been alone since…."She paused for a second, noticing how his frown disappeared instantly, turning into that indifferent look he had been sporting for a few days now when someone whispered about his family's misfortune.

"…I hadn't noticed." Scorpius replied, knowing internally that perhaps it was a little too harsh to say, but he had not made it this far with the title of being cruel to others without saying the terrible things that slipped from his mouth.

Lana's smile deflated a few centimeters, but she didn't let it wither away completely. "Any news?"

"None." Scorpius almost sighed in defeat. "My mother and father said they would keep me updated every day, and so far all their letters have been nothing but rubbish." He admitted, feeling the left pocket of his robes weigh-in as he could feel the parchment squares sit there uselessly.

"You don't believe them?" The witch asked.

"Of course I do." Anger seeped into the Slytherin. "To let me know that Goyle was behind all of this….I trust my father and his judgments, especially my mother's." He confessed. "That man is responsible for my sister being comatose, and for….My parents won't give up now."

Lana stretched her arm forward - she was at the perfect distance to be able to take Scorpius's hand into hers and still remained far from him. "If there was bad news, they would have already traveled past us." She squeezed his hand. "All of this will resolve itself, you'll see."

Not being able to turn around her obvious indirect that he _was _worried, Scorpius settled on giving her hand a gentle squeeze back. "…I just…I…I'm sorry." He muttered awkwardly, feeling like everything that he stood for was groaning inside of him. (He had never apologized to anyone before, and it was ironic to him that it had to be Lana McLaggen out of all people.)

"For not spending any time with me this past week?" His girlfriend questioned, still looking at him with soft eyes even though the answer was completely obvious. "It's perfectly alright, Scorpius." She said sincerely, squeezing his hand once again as a look of guilt flickered by his silvery gaze for a second. "I can't expect you to want to be around anyone, or even me for that matter, when your sister is missing….Or because Rose is gone."

"_What_?" Malfoy practically gawked, his eyebrow raising high on his forehead.

At his sudden overwhelmed expression, Lana's smile was gone as she felt this sadness creep into her chest. Twisting her heart and blood with a wretched emotion that she hadn't felt before. "…The first day of classes, after the kidnap, Professor Slughorn accidentally called out Rose's name…I looked up at you, and you had this…this indefinable expression on your face…And even though I didn't know how to explain it…I _knew _what it meant."

Scorpius was fighting with himself - fighting with all his might to hold on to that nothingness on his face. For him not to show any emotion at all. But seeing all that sincerity on Lana's face, he just gave her a light head shake; _it wasn't true_.

"I'm not the brightest snitch on the field, Scorpius, but I always sort of knew." She whispered, a knot in her throat as she kept looking into those eyes she found so beautiful like a stormy sky. "…I suppose I always knew, but I liked you enough to pretend like it wasn't there." A smile threatened to tug on her lips. "One of the reasons my brother hates you, I'm sure." She giggled lightly, almost like a heave of air instead of a chuckle. "He never got Rose fully, just like I never got _you _fully either."

"Lana- -"

"_No_." The Slytherin witch shook her head, her voice squeaking towards the end as she halted Malfoy from taking a step towards her. "You can't make someone love you, and I know that…And I won't hold it against you either." She blinked a few tears away from her emerald-eyes.

Scorpius barely managed to grab a loose strand of her hair before the girl pushed herself back an inch; her black hair falling through his fingers. "- -_Lana_."

"We can still be friends." The McLaggen girl murmured, her tears still silently falling without dramatics.

Silence pierced Scorpius again, but instead of the infuriated one, it was more of a massive mixture of guilt, confusion, and hurt. And because he was who he was, he decided to take a step back from Lana, not letting that mixture of emotions show on his face as he looked down at the classroom floor.

Lana smiled kindly, standing up from her seat on top of the desk as she looked at her fellow Slytherin. "Don't be so angry with the world, Scorpius. You'll get them back - Ariana and Rose."

Stretching a little on her toes, Lana pressed her lips onto Scorpius' right cheek. Her eyelashes leaving small traces of tears on his skin as she pulled away with nothing more said; her light footsteps echoing off the floor as she headed towards the door.

"…I care about you, Lana." He whispered to himself, knowing that the girl was long gone as he glanced up to the window of the classroom. His anger coming back again as fast as it had arrived every day since the kidnap.

The sky was still annoyingly beautiful - and he didn't know how it could be. How the weather could permit the world to shine so dazzlingly if misery was following him; if he was the only one walking around with a grey cloud over his head all the time.

**X **

"- -Al, you're sulking again."

"And this time inside your bowl of soup."

Groaning with all the despair inside of his body, Al Potter slowly lifted himself up on his elbows to look at the two people staring at him with sympathy as he tried to concentrate on breathing in the fumes of whatever it is that the house-elves used to clean the house-tables in the Great Hall. "_Ugh_." He grunted, his head hanging low as he felt nothing but what he had been feeling for days - _sorrow_.

"Always the social one, I see." Savanna Zabini said as she and Angelo shook their heads at him. "It's sort of pathetic if you think about it."

Looking at his best friend with disturbed eyes, Angelo shook his head disapprovingly at Al once again. "Come _on_, mate." He practically groaned too, frustration expressing itself on his tanned-face as he no longer knew what to do with Al. "You've been doing nothing more the moping around for days, and not to mention you haven't showered in ages, and it's starting to tick me off, alright."

Savanna nodded her head furiously in agreement with her brother. "You smell like all that food you've accidentally gotten all over your school robes. It's incredibly disgusting, Al, that I'm willing to have Winky shower you by force."

"And you know she'll do it too." Angelo added. "Winky is committed to any task you give her since she stopped drinking, and I'm sure she'll be up for the challenge."

Al glared, picking his head up again. "Well, _excuse me_." He snapped at the two Zabini siblings. "My cousin was kidnapped by a mad man, and took my…and took Ariana along with them! As you could see, I'm not having the best week of my life, yeah. So if you ever so kindly can, _piss off_."

"Sorry." Angelo mumbled.

"Don't apologize, idiot." Savanna scolded her older brother, elbowing him as he lowered his head down in shame. He had been extra sensitive around Al and Scorpius, that it was starting to tick _her _off. Savanna understood her brother loved his friends, but a Zabini should never be ashamed about anything. (And that was something she was glad she listened to her father about.) "- -Listen here, Potter, because next time I have to repeat myself, I will curse your stupidly annoying scowl off." She threatened, raising her finger at him as she could already hear familiar voices approaching. "Ariana is my best friend, and I adore Rose with all my might, and for you to even begin to assume like none of us care because we are not wallowing in our own filth - like you are so repulsively doing - does _not _mean that it gives you the right to snap at any of us whenever you damn please."

And approaching the Gryffindor table just in time to catch the Ravenclaw's speech, James Potter narrowed his eyes at his brother as he deflated his frown a little bit out of fear.

"What are you lot doing here?" Fred asked, interrupting the moment as he grabbed a plate of dinner and settled it next to Savanna. "Not that we mind, it's just…there's no Gryffindor with you three."

"The Slytherins are not the most supportive lot at the moment." Angelo answered, picking at his steak. "They keep talking about speculations they have about Ariana and Rose, and it's not the loveliest things to hear when their imagination is nothing but gruesome."

Al moaned loudly at the mentioned names, dropping his head back down on the table-top and the ends of his long hair splashed into his bowl of soup again.

Pulling on a sympathetic expression on his veela-like features, Louis gently patted his younger cousin's shoulder. "Cheer up, cousin."

"- -I don't understand why _you _are upset, Albus." James spoke up before Louis could continue on soothing his little brother. "Last time I check, which happened to be in Hogsmeade when I was snogging her, Ana is my girlfriend. Not yours." The youngest of the Potter boys raised his head a few centimeters, peeking through the strands of his hair and a noodle to raise an eyebrow at his brother. The people around him suddenly went silent, all of them feeling the tension of what was obvious, and what had been silenced for too long.

"…_And_?" Al asked in a small huff.

"Did no one tell him?" Angelo murmured at his fellow Slytherin. Aiming a look between the two Potters like he was about to witness the most glorious thing since that trip to Hogsmeade. (And he did not mean the moment when they were attacked, but when Al finally grew a sack of quaffles.)

"And?" James repeated, not catching the whispering Zabini was doing. "It's pathetic, little Al, that you go sulking about over someone else's girlfriend, don't you think?"

The Slytherin rose higher on his seat, forgetting about the deep sadness inside his chest as he glared at his brother. "Why do you care all of a sudden, James? It's not like you showed any particular interest in Ana unless you were…kissing her."

"Is that your matter?" James retorted, throwing the glare back. "Because she never complained when I was snogging her."

Fred and Louis exchanged worried looks, both of them leaning towards the individual Potter they were seating next to; on edge just incase something exploded and it ended up being one of their faces.

"She isn't in love with you." Al said angrily. "She never has been."

"And she's in love with _you_?" James spat back. "Is that where you're getting at?"

Snapping her neck back and forth - looking somewhat amused and annoyed - Savanna sighed at the two brothers. (She didn't expect anything less from Ariana - leaving an emotional mess behind her when she avoids fixing it out of discomfort.) "- -Alright, that's enough you two." She frowned at James and Al, looking strict. "Enough, okay?"

"No." James said, reducing his anger as he looked expectantly at his brother. "I want to know where Al was going with this. I'm curious now, so please, elaborate."

Albus glared, all that he wanted to ever say to James about Ariana was pooling inside his mouth.

"James." Savanna scolded.

"Speak, Al." The Gryffindor Fifth Year ignored the witch.

"_James_- -" Savanna hissed, slapping him on the shoulder as she reached behind Fred's back. "Stop."

"Fine, then." James turned on his seat, staring at her. "You tell me then, Sav. You're her best friend after all. You tell me."

"James, come on, mate." Louis leaned into the table, shaking his blonde hair disapprovingly at his cousin. "You're about to make a mess over something because you didn't win."

"Win?" Angelo questioned, raising his curious eyebrow up. "What do you mean by that, Weasley?"

"- -Oh, for bloody Godric's sake!" _Bam. _"You lot want to know the truth here? I'll tell you the ruddy truth, maybe that way all of you will shut it and get on with your pitiable lives."

Turning their stares from James Potter, all eyes looked up to see a tiny newly-arrived redhead with her fist smacked down at the center of the group as she frowned with all of her inherited fury.

"Ariana and Al have always been in love, simple as that." Lily Luna Potter spat; her freckly face looking infuriated and dangerously annoyed. "During the Hogsmeade trip, Al confessed his love for Ariana, and it was all magical until she got snatched by those ruddy people."

James opened his mouth but his sister threw him a you-better-keep-it-shut-if-you-don't-want-me-to-murder-you look.

"And you- -"She pointed her threatening finger at her eldest brother. "You care about Ana, no doubt about that, but you were only following after her because you were bored."

James looked guiltily around the table, Al and Fred throwing him a scowl. "…That's not…entirely true."

"Of course not, how could I forget?" Lily continued, her schoolbag slouching off her small shoulder. "You were also with Ana because you were hoping that would make Savanna jealous, but that didn't really go according to plan, did it, brother?"

As Lily was spreading the truth all over the Gryffindor table-top, Angelo had been laughing hysterically at the facial expressions that James was throwing - until the littlest of the Potters decided to throw in his sister's name. "Oi - _what_?"

"How do you know about that?" James gaped, his cheeks flushing as Al and Fred forgot about their momentary anger and they dropped their jaws.

"Louis told me." Lily confessed, breathing heavily as her anger began to cool down. (All she wanted to do was eat, but as she skipped up to her table she had to find her family arguing like always. It was about time someone set them straight.)

"…Sorry, mate." The blonde Gryffindor muttered at his cousin, lowering his head down a centimeter. "But I promised I'd tell her what the real deal was with you and Ana if she could find out what Lana McLaggen's favorite flower was."

James glared almightily.

Louis kept lowering his head in shame. "It was Orchids, by the way."

"Y-You….You like _me_?" Savanna asked, no one paying attention to her as the secrets kept pouring out and she looked like she got hit by a bludger. "Why?"

"Um." James cleared his throat, looking extremely uncomfortable and upset. "Lots of reasons, actually."

"…Oh." Savanna whispered. "I'm sorry, James."

"For?" The Gryffindor asked, furrowing his brows.

"I don't feel the same way." Savanna replied, standing up from the table as her Ravenclaw tie fell over her robes. "Sorry."

"Wait, wait." James gawked at her in a slight shock. "What? I thought you said you fancied one of us, and I thought, _logically_, that meant me."

Savanna shook her head, her hair swaying like straight curtains around her face. "I…I meant Fred, not you." Was all that she said, walking away before Fred Weasley could look even more surprised and he had time to react over what she said.

Cheering up instantly, Al stood on his feet too as Angelo gaped after his sister. "Come on, mate. What do you say we head up to the common room? I fancy a shower, and you can tell Malfoy all about what happened here. I'm sure he'd love to hear James's new embarrassment of the month."

Zabini nodded hesitantly, elbowing Fred as he stood up from the Gryffindor table.

"As much as I want you to shower, Al, maybe you should put a hold on it." Lily spoke, taking a seat on the clearing table as she reached for Fred's plate of untouched food and a sappy smile on her face. (Finally.) " I was walking to the Great Hall when I found Lana crying in an empty corridor. Apparently, your mate and her broke up."

At the two holy words that he never thought he would hear - because he was sure Scorpius and Lana would have annoyingly beautiful babies together - Louis picked up his head from the table and ginned widely. His heart banging inside his chest.

"- -_Don't_." James threatened his cousin before he could even stand up from the table and follow behind the retreating Slytherins.. "You broke the code, Louis. You will be punished."

And somehow, even though he had been rejected by the girl he actually liked and his little brother won over the girl he actually liked to snog, James found a highlight to get him through that day.

"No." Louis groaned, looking terrified.

"Oh, yes." James nodded, standing up from the table as he pulled up the dazed redheaded Weasley with him. "We're going to need the invisibility cloak, two rocks of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, a roll of muggle duct-tape, a bag of raw meat, and a Hippogriff."

Yep, that would suffice him.

* * *

**AN: Hey, guys!**

**Okay, I KNOW I promised to update as soon as I could in the last post, but seriously, NOT my fault this time. **

**My computer decided to crash on me, and it's been about a week and a half now where I am going over to my mom's to use hers. And during the times where I pretend like I was writing my school-paper, I actually started writing this and WALA! New Chapter.**

**So my advanced apologies if it's too rushed or horrible. I just NEEDED to do it. **

**:D  
**


	27. The King's Daughter

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Time was a problematic matter these days. Not knowing whether the way the seconds rolled quickly by was for the greater good or for the destruction that was going to take place when that time was up.

If time kept speeding up that meant _more _of a chance of finding the answer - to finally be able to drop all the files scattered around them and put them back in the archives where they belonged. In the section of resolved cases.

But what if that time kept speeding and _nothing _came of it? What if all their hard work and concentration was for nothing? What if those eight days of digging deep and searching high was just useless? What if they just wasted all that time to end up where they had begun?

It was maddening - every second that ticked by so mockingly on the clock - but he couldn't lose himself in that. He couldn't stop and ponder whether his work was going to help or be utterly useless. All he knew was that he had to just keep trying, he had to keep his focus completely submerged into every minute that passed, especially because he had everything riding on it.

His daughter.

"Are you ready?" Looking away from the photograph of his children on his desk, Draco Malfoy was met with a pair of intense brown-eyes.

It had been about a week and something since he was lifted from the bind Tanya Rowle had placed him under; a week that he had finally got the rhythm of his walk back, the function to his brain, and the control over the venom he spilt.

"Well?" Hermione repeated, looking warily at the man.

Taking one last glance at the photograph and taking a file of records off his desk, Draco headed towards the door where his wife waited for him. "Let's go." He replied simply, something internally hurting as she gave him a blank stare in return and turned away from him.

She started walking ahead of him, a fast pace to her steps as she proceeded to leave him behind. Almost like she was unwilling to walk beside him - like husband and wife; or two worried parents. All he could hear between them was the _clink, clink, clink, _of her heels and the breathing of their bodies from the distance. And all he could see was the back of her head, her brown waves falling beautifully and sending the scent of cinnamon towards him. The smell of home invading his senses.

There's things that were still left unresolved, vital things, but what Draco knew this far was the reason _why _Tanya had lifted the spell during the moment she had. And that was because she knew perfectly well that it would be more wasted time for Draco and Hermione, for the entire department that was subjected into this case. He didn't have the time - from the moment she vanished with their daughter and Rose Weasley - to really explain to anyone that he had been bewitched by her.

The biggest concern was to find the girls, and Hermione was still unwilling to be around him unless it meant business. (And Ministry-related business at that for his luck of things.) And because he could see that depression, that anger, that ineptitude that burned in her eyes every time he allowed himself to glance at her without shouting his truth, he knew what he had to do.

He couldn't attempt to fix things, not while she suffered. Time passed by even more, and that meant risking another one of their daughters. It was more weight onto their shoulders, plus something more.

Dean Thomas had notified them days ago that Demetria's condition went from a neutral comatose state to something even worse. (As if it were possible.) The charts started showing that Demi's barely-there signals of life were withering away; that no Healer had a clue what to do next. And with a deep sympathetic expression and a few grammatically correct words, Dean told the Malfoys that their youngest daughter did not have the enough energy to sustain her own life. That any minute now… it might be the end.

And Draco was not - unbelievably to his teenage memory - selfish enough to try and fix what gave him a reason for existence during those wrenching moments. He would have time later, he hoped, to mend the wrongs Tanya made him do. But for now, to erase that broken look on his wife's face, Draco needed to be completely submerged into this case every passing second.

"- -Draco, Hermione."

Arriving at the isolated headquarters that the Ministry had granted the Auror Department for the occasion, both Malfoys nodded curtly at the Head Auror that met them at the end of a very long, isolated hall. "Potter." Draco was the only one to speak as Hermione stared at the door where the three stood. "When did he get here?"

"Five minutes ago." Harry replied, as he closed a case of files in his right hand. "We've researched a few names that he let slip during the interrogation with the Wizengamot; we're hoping he'll give us more insight during this interrogation."

Draco nodded again, his ears perking up as he heard footsteps marching down the marbled ground. "- -I thought we were the only ones allowed in this department?"

"- -Didn't expect you'd have all the fun, right, Malfoy?" Appearing behind Draco and Hermione, came the Weasleys. Both of them looking extremely put-out as they glanced at the door with a sort of hate, and back at their friends.

"Not at all." Draco said without a tone, looking between the married couple. "How's your brother, Weasley?"

Sighing a little, Ron shook his head at the memory; almost hoping like it would slip away forever. That the chill he had felt when he had thought that another one of his brothers was murdered viciously could vanish like a bad nightmare, but the damage was done and he had to accept that. He hadn't woken up in time.

"Percy's doing better. The Healers managed to repair him as much as they could, and mum is doing as much as she thinks will help, but…"Ron paused, taking the chance to swallow the knot in his throat as he flashed-back to when Percy woke up at St. Mungos. All the pain that seeped between all his siblings and his parents like a link of an invisible bond. "…They don't think he'll ever walk again."

"He's alive, and that's what matters." Harry continued, knowing that Ron wasn't going to be able to explain further. "Mrs. and Mister Weasley are currently visiting France as much as they can to be with his family."

"Mum practically has settled herself there." Ron added with a huff, shaking his head again. "But it's good for Lucy and Molly, to know that they have strength around them as Percy and Audrey pretend to be alright."

Blinking past the conversation, Hermione cleared her throat to grab the Aurors attention. "…We should get this over with. The sooner the better, we have no time to keep wasting."

As Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, the woman that had arrived quietly with her husband finally made a sound. A sort of sob escaping her lips as Draco reached for the doorknob of the secured door.

"Pansy? What is it?" Ron asked automatically.

Pansy inhaled roughly through her nostrils, her cheeks turning red as she tried to compose herself. "I-I…I just." She stopped, shaking her dark locks as she looked away from her husband and towards her eldest friend. "I want my daughter back."

Staring at Pansy for a few silent seconds, Draco inhaled roughly as he could see the hurt she was in as well. But not knowing what to say to her, the blonde Auror pushed open the door and marched into the marbled-made room.

"Head Auror, we've been waiting."

As they entered, the three Aurors and the one special agent found that the long room was completely secluded. There was no windows or any kind of escape inside of it; just a table plastered in the middle and a flicker of a candle-light hanging over it. There was two chairs, one occupied and the other free. And at every corner of the marbled room was a specialized Auror, with their wands at the ready just incase a problem arose.

Nodding once at Auror Johnson, Harry turned to another one of his men. "Lopez, guard the door on the outside. Make sure no one else enters the room. Auror badge or not."

Just as the Auror was making his way out of the closed-in room, Harry threw Draco a sign to step forward; allowing him to proceed into the interrogation.

"Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry- -"Malfoy began, not sparing a look towards his wife or the redheaded man behind him. Just a simple nod to the Head Auror as he pulled out the empty chair from its place. "You were informed about your rights and the lack thereof being convicted Death Eater almost two decades ago." He placed his files onto the metallic surface of the table, looking up at the person staring back at him with nothing in his stare. "You are to answer all the questions during this interrogation with complete honesty, and if the Head Auror dictates that you are lying, Veritaserum will be issued to gain the truth."

There was silence in the room - that kind of cold, tensed silence that presses down on your shoulders; even making your collar-bone hurt from the strained atmosphere.

Clearing his throat from the back, Harry Potter stepped forward towards his Auror and the prisoner. "State your name and location of living before being apprehended by Ministry officials."

Chained and locked-down, the prisoner looked up at Harry for a second before proceeding. "- -Gregory Goyle. State of Victoria, Australia."

At the sound of the voice of his childhood friend, Malfoy had to press his mouth into a tight line. Something undefined - almost like betrayal and guilt mixing oddly inside of him began to throb. Like he wanted nothing more than to kill the man before him, to erase any memory of their bizarre loyalty for one another; like their childhood and everything Draco got himself into, everything that Goyle protected him, never happened. Yet, he needed Goyle to speak.

"Spouse, children and their age." Harry continued, knowing that Malfoy was not about to chime in at any moment.

Goyle's eyes flickered down for a second, nostalgia taking over. "Pavarti Goyle, spouse. Layla, fourteen; and Garret, six."

"Are you notified of your family's whereabouts, Mister Goyle?" Harry asked a little less harshly than he had been speaking before; catching that glisten to the man's eyes. (He had to be a man of iron during interrogations, but Pavarti was a friend and he couldn't help but to feel something for the ex-Gryffindor.)

"…No." Goyle responded, clearing his throat.

"Your home in Australia was searched, and we found traces of magic."

Goyle looked up instantly, fear seeping through the cracks of his expression.

"- -It seemed to be a struggle rather than any average house-hold magic for a homemaker." Draco finally spoke, opening one of the folders and taking out a photograph one of the Aurors had taken. "Various items were broken and shattered, and the bedrooms of your children seemed to have gone through the same struggle."

The prisoner gaped at the photograph, his chained arms fighting to reach for it but failed in every attempt

"Your family is missing, Mister Goyle." Harry said, leaning towards the table and pushing the picture towards the man. "And unless you don't tell us what you've done to your wife and children, you will have another severe charge onto your criminal record."

In the background, Ron glared with all of his boiling hatred. How could a man get rid of his own family? How _mental _did a man have to be to make his wife vanish; his children whisked away from their little lives?

Shaking his head, face turning pink, Goyle gripped the photographs with a sort of rage. "They…They promised." He muttered, his chest hurting. "They promised…they promised!" He crumbled the picture.

Draco and Harry shared a look, both of them turning to the prisoner with confused eyes. "Who exactly is _'they'_? And what was promised, Goyle?"

"Tanya Rowle and her bloody army!" The man replied to the Head Auror, shaking his head furiously as he could see the acclaimed struggle in his head. " She said…She said if I did as she ordered, she'd spare my family." Goyle looked at his old friend, his glittering eyes full of tears piercing the blonde. "She had taken my little boy…She took my Garret, and threatened to kill my daughter if I didn't listen."

"If your child was missing, Goyle, why did Pavarti not report it?" Harry questioned, raising his eyebrow. "What exact terms did Tanya Rowle give you? When had all of this begun?"

"Because Pavarti didn't know…" Goyle whispered, a tear falling out. "I was apprehended by Rowle for the attack in France when I was with my son." He explained. "We were closing up shop, Pavarti was… she was home with our daughter. Layla was going on a date that night…she wanted it to be perfect and…Garret and I left to do some investigating, the little bloke that fancies my daughter works for me…Garret and I wanted to question him without Pavarti knowing…" He paused, chuckling humorlessly at a memory that flickered past his head, another tear falling. "- -I knew they were following me, and I tried to stay in the muggle crowd as much as I could. I knew they couldn't risk getting caught…but before I was aware, they had us cornered…and one of them took my son."

"…Why were you approached by Tanya Rowle?" Draco asked, feeling no sympathy whatsoever for the man. "What exactly was _your _part in this, Goyle?"

The prisoner shook his head slowly, looking back down at the tabletop from the indifference in the blonde Auror's face. "She sent men after my family, slowly scaring me into listening to her since….She never exactly told me what she wanted me to do in her scheme, but that I needed to be ready for when she needed me.

I wasn't frightened into it, I knew that she couldn't get very far with whatever she wanted to do - until I had files of the people gone dead because of her. People that I used to know…Your father, Draco." He blinked, willing himself to look at his old friend. "Finnegan, Zacharias Smith and his family…Michael Corner and his pregnant wife."

"Michael Corner?" Harry asked, snapping his fingers at one of the Aurors in the corner of the secluded room. "That name is not on the list we have, Goyle. Are you absolutely sure?"

Goyle nodded solemnly. "Marietta Edgecombe has been missing for months now, and the last list I had received from Tanya marked her name too…She keeps these things on record, I reckon."

"Johnson, give the two new names to the other Aurors involved in this case." The Head Auror told one of his men, jotting down the names in a scrap of parchment. "I want an instant search."

"Padma, Potter." Goyle turned to the Boy-Who-Lived. "Padma and her family have been missing too."

_Bang. Bang._

"- -Let me in!"

"Leave the premises, Trainee- -"

"- -Look at the badge, idiot, I'm _Auror_!"

As the supposed-to-be secured door banged open, everyone inside the room turned to see Teddy Lupin fighting with Auror Lopez.

"Auror Lupin!" The Head Auror hissed, bewilderment crossing his features as he adjusted his spectacles. "This interrogation is closed off to other Aurors, leave the room immediately."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry, but I can't leave." Teddy retorted back, shoving Lopez back as he attempted to drag him out the room. "As all of you are in here chatting away, I have information that can't wait!"

"Leave the room, Lupin!" Ron snapped at the younger Auror. "We have no- -"

"Oi! Wait! Wait!" Teddy snapped, kicking his legs in the air as Auror Lopez grabbed him high by the collar of his robes; lifting him off the floor. "I know where they are!"

"- -_Wait_, let him speak." Hermione pointed her wand at the Auror, looking at Teddy with a racing heart at his previous shout. "Explain, now."

"We got a tip-off!" Teddy explained, glaring at the Auror as his feet touched the ground again. "Someone said they saw Tanya Rowle and a few of her men taking over an abandoned house."

"_What _abandoned house?" Ron practically shouted, winning the Malfoys as they both looked at Teddy with a fast growing hope.

"Malfoy Manor." Teddy said in a low voice.

"Johnson, hand the names to an Auror and gather the rest of the men." Harry began to order, grabbing the files and stacking them together. "Teddy, here you go."

Narrowing his eyes at his father, Teddy groaned. "You're actually going to make me file archives at a time like this? Come on!"

"You're in charge of the interrogation, Auror Lupin." Harry said, a smile on his face as Teddy dropped his jaw. "Brilliant work."

"Malfoy- -" And right before Draco could follow the male two-thirds of the Golden Trio out the door, Goyle called out for him." My family…Please, find them."

As Hermione quickly filled Teddy in on what Goyle had already confessed, she stopped to give the prisoner a solidified stare. "We'll find them, we promise." She said, no tone of resentment towards the man she thought was responsible behind everything as her husband refused to answer his plea.

"Goodbye, Goyle." Draco responded after a second, turning on his heels and signaling Hermione to follow after him.

Gregory Goyle looked down at the tabletop, not paying attention to Teddy as he introduced himself properly. "…Goodbye forever, old friend."

**X **

"- -Stop it! Stop it!"

"_Silencio_!"

"Maybe you should consider making the spell permanent." Still gripping on to the roots of a young witch, Tanya Rowle blinked her clear-eyes smugly at the man pointing his wand at their redheaded hostage. "That why she'll shut up for good."

The man - who looked to be around his early twenties - slowly lowered his wand away from Rose Weasley's face. "I don't attack children, Tanya. It's not my liking, like you'd understand." He said a little sarcastically.

Pulling the long caramel-colored waves from the top of Ariana Malfoy's head, Tanya tugged on a little smirk. "We have different definitions of low patience, that's all, Yaxley."

Aries Yaxley narrowed his eyes at the woman; no sense of humor in his body as she continued to trace the burning-tip of her wand alongside the pale skin of the Malfoy girls' neck.

"I know it hurts." Tanya whispered teasingly to Ariana, a hand still lost in her hair and forcing her head back. "I'll stop, if you just admit it does."

From her seat, where she was tied down like a common deer on top of a muggle hunter's truck, Rose filled with a deep anger as she could see the bright patches of crisp skin on the visible parts of Ariana's body. She had been yelling for ages, it seemed; screaming for the bastards to stop hurting her, to stop torturing Ariana like she was to be blamed with whatever was going on.

But she couldn't do anything, she was completely useless in the help to end her suffering.

"Come on, _Ana_." Tanya continued, pressing her wand-tip deeper into the hallow area of where the girl's neck and collar-bone met. "Just say it."

Gritting her teeth as she could feel all the layers of skin burn in that spot, Ariana held her composure. "I will never…ask for your mercy." She spat to the mental woman, her silver-eyes pooling with unshed tears.

Yaxley crossed his arms, a shadow of awe passing through his face as he could see all that will on the girl's face. Knowing perfectly well that she was holding all those shouts buried inside her, not letting those sobs pass her throat like any common person would during torture.

Turning his head slightly to the left of the crumbled-down ballroom they were in, Yaxley's impression of the Malfoy girl grew a little more as he could see a blonde woman in a fetal-position, holding a little limp figure into her chest, silent tears racing down her cheeks; the same rings of burnt skin on her. He wondered, how much spirit could be in Ariana Malfoy if she held in what the blonde woman couldn't - all that weakness.

And as she rocked herself and the little body, the woman looked up with wet-eyes to see Yaxley staring at her. Her lip trembled even more, the slice on her bottom lip hurting from the action. Wanting to sink deeper into the destroyed marbled-floor, the woman kept crying into the sides of her arms - her tears mixing in with the scabs of her burned skin and falling on the clothes of the child pressed into her.

_There's no room for weakness_, Yaxley thought to himself, turning away from Eliz Wilkes without sympathy. _Especially in my family_, he added in after thought for the cousin he had forced into this. (If she would have kept her mouth shut in the confrontation in France with the Aurors, she wouldn't have had to suffer anything. He had no time to pity fools.)

"Say it!" Tanya hissed in frustration, wanting to break through the strength that the teenage girl had. "Say it!" But as nothing came, Tanya refused to be out-beaten by the little brat, so she decided to turn the dial up. "- -Scream for me, little Ariana!" She snapped, removing her wand from her skin and pointing it at her chest. "_Crucio_!"

And just as her skin was adjusting to the flames just consummating spots on her skin, Ariana felt the searing fire ignite all over her body; inside of her. Gripping her bones, shattering them with an electrifying force that sent her on her back; her chair falling backwards as Tanya kept the spell over her.

"_Crucio_!" Tanya held her wand tighter, determination on her face.

Opening her mouth, Ariana let out a silent scream. Nothing coming out of her lips, but her expression shone with the pain that she was feeling. Her brain not willing itself to give in to Tanya's demands even as she leaked tears of scorching pain.

"That's enough." Yaxley snapped at Tanya, distracting her from the Unforgivable she was keeping over the girl. "Unforgivables are traced, Tanya, use your head." He added, looking away from the quieted shouts coming from the redheaded hostage as she looked outraged in her silence.

"They're going to find us eventually, Aries." Tanya retorted back. "Why not let me have my fun while we wait?"

Yaxley kept his blank stare, lowering himself to an empty chair as he could see other recruits keeping guard peeking to see the scene inside the ballroom. "In time, Tanya. In time."

Holding on to large fragments of the once-marbled floor, Ariana let her tears spill onto the ground that held many warm memories. A place that she loved so dearly inside Malfoy Manor; where she learned many traditions of the Malfoy family, of the long and gone noble Black family. "… _I remember I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink, so soft and warm_." She sang in a broken voice to herself, her body aching as she continued to cry as the memories kept playing in her head. "_You've had me w-wrapped around your finger since the day you were b-born_." She saw Lucius in shades of grey, looking out the giant window of the ballroom. Reminiscing about the past, no doubt, about things he had done, mistakes that he would never admit. That look of misery in his silver-eyes that accompanied him throughout the rest of his life.

She saw her mothering decorating the ballroom, putting up bright banners that claimed what the celebration was for. All the festivity for Scorpius's eleventh birthday, marking the coming-of-age moment when he was officially illegible to go to Hogwarts so special.

She saw little Demetria take her first steps, trying her hardest to get her wobbly feet to cross the room as she and Scorpius fought with each other; their Grandmother Narcissa leaving Demi on the floor as she attempted to stop the fight between her two oldest grandchildren.

She saw her father - she saw him moving in a way she never had before. She had been peeking through the half-way closed door, mesmerized as he danced elegantly with her mother. And as he twirled her in beautiful circles, she couldn't resist the urge to dance with them. She approached them, demanding that she get a try. And with a small smile but firm expression, Draco gave in. Giving Hermione the chance to look over the moment like a proud moment as eight year-old Ariana climbed on her father's feet, letting him guide her in one of the most majestic dances she'd ever seen.

"…_You're b-beautiful from the outside in. Chase your dreams, but a-always know the road that'll lead you h-home again_." She continued to sing in her broken tone, her eyes threatening to close in exhaustion as she couldn't possibly handle any more of the hurt inside of her. She was sure she was dying little by little, disgust and defeat beating inside her mind as she imagined that is what the monsters made Demetria go through; what sent her to a comatose state in the first place. From all the dark magic that no one's system can handle. "_Go on, take on this whole world, but to me you know you'll always be my l-little girl._"

Inside her memory, Ariana could see her five year-old self smiling sleepily at the man sitting on a rocking chair next to her bed. The sounds of her mother scolding her brother across the hall slithering their way inside of her room, but instead of laughing triumphantly at her brother's punishment, the little girl kept attention on her father. _"- -When you were in trouble, that crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone_." He sang softly to her, patting her caramel-colored ringlets as her eyes continued to droop. "_Now look at you, I've turned around and you're almost grown_." Ariana blinked a tear away from her eyes, feeling it trace down painfully on her cheek; the small drop igniting a burn of the cuts on her chin. "…_Sometimes you're asleep, and I whisper 'I love you'_."

Boom. Boom. Boom.

But just before she could let the exhaustion inside her win and close her eyes for what felt like forever, sounds of explosions echoed around the once-prestigious Malfoy Manor.

"- -Drop your wands!"

"You're surrounded- -"

"- -Drop your wands!"

With a small smile on his face, Yaxley watched as all of the recruited wizards and witches scrambled their way into the ballroom; all of them completely petrified as people started apparating inside the manor and from rooms above. (All of them obviously not informed that the next phase of the plan was to get captured.) "_Finite_." Yaxley murmured expertly to his bound hostage, letting Rose Weasley's voice come back to life.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Rose shouted immediately after Yaxley dropped his wand, hands in the air as an Auror pointed his wand at him; the ballroom filling with armed Ministry officials.

"Rose!" Sprinting across the room, Ron Weasley made his way to his daughter. "Are you alright? Rose, are you okay?" He bombarded his daughter, holding her face to inspect her. But without responding to any of her father's concerned questions, Rose hazel-eyes widened as she caught sight of her Uncle Harry and the Malfoys charging into the room. Their wands buried deep behind some of the culprits backs, forcing them into the room as they no doubt tried to escape. "- -Get Ana!" She shouted as soon as they were close enough, her arms springing free as Ron untied her from her prison. "She's hurt!"

"- -Hold it!" And just before Hermione or Draco could spot their daughter in the mess of bodies, Tanya Rowle pulled her torture-victim off the floor by her hair. "Don't move, or I'll curse her brains out." She said to the wands being pointed at her.

"What did you do to my daughter?" With knees going weak from the beaten figure of her daughter, Hermione's heart broke even as it thumped with a rush of fear.

Tanya smiled pleasantly. "I knew you'd find us, Mrs. Malfoy." Her voice was as friendly as it had been all the times she had visited her husband's office when she worked for him; when she was pretending to be a common secretary. "After all, your husband knows every entrance to this place more than anyone, so it was just a matter of time."

"Let go of her, you bitch." Rose hissed at the woman, shaking away her father's protective arms around her. "Can't you see you're surrounded? You're not going to get out of here in once piece."

Feeling a spark of intense annoyance, Tanya glare at the members of the Auror Department with a deep hate; all of them standing in front of her with a conquering expression. Like they thought they were better than her - like they've always thought they were. "You're mistaken - all of you are." She snapped, her wand-tip illuminating itself as it pressed into Ariana's neck. The sounds of her sizzling skin echoing around the room like a harsh scratching on a chalkboard.

Gritting her teeth from the new wave of flames, Ariana felt trickles of blood passing her closed jaw as she held in her screams. She could see her mother's tortured gaze, could see her opening her mouth and shouting what had to be a plea of mercy for her child, but Ariana could not hear it. She could hardly see her, could hardly make out the blonde figure of her father in the crowd. Her vision was spotting, and all that invaded her ears was a long whistling sound - the sound of death coming.

"…_Dad_." Ariana muttered with a voice that was unheard by everyone, her eyes threatening to shut as she could make out his feet coming closer.

"Evening, Mister Malfoy." Tanya flashed a smile at her ex-boss. "You've already interrogated Mister Goyle, have you not?" She asked, looking happy. "In that case, I have something for him. I do hope you pass it along."

At the direction that Tanya pointed her finger in, Harry Potter was the first to turn and find the body of a blonde woman and a child huddled together; going unnoticed by every one else.

"Garret Goyle?" Harry whispered, kneeling beside the woman and the kid.

"He needs a little patching up, but he'll be good as new." Tanya called sweetly, holding on to Ariana a lot tighter as Draco took another step towards them. "Not that Mister Goyle will ever get a chance to see his son again, right?" She kept her smile. "He is implicated in this as much as anyone in this room, he has to serve a sentence in Azkaban for his crime."

Draco glared, his heart thumping with rage. "He's innocent."

"Which is such a shame." Tanya shrugged. "But you shouldn't fret, Mister Malfoy. After all, from the mail exchanged between you and him, you gave promising information to Mister Goyle on orphanages, so I'm sure little Garret will be perfectly taken care of.

Mister Goyle wasn't half as stupid as I figured." Tanya continued. "I found his letters in your desk-drawer, Mister Malfoy. And believe me, I do not like to be mistaken. I planned to get rid of Mrs. Goyle, there was just no room for Pavarti, but her husband had to get in my way." The ex-secretary continued to explain. "So he had to go too, but in a much different way. Now their son will grow up without a mother, without a sister….he'll be waiting for years to reunite with a father that will rot away in Azkaban."

"…And you'll serve the penalty along with him, Miss Rowle." Draco replied back, his fists shaking in his anger.

Tanya grinned, scoffing lightly. "Arrogance, Mister Malfoy, runs in your family like a disease." She took a few steps back, dragging Ariana with her. "Let me show you how I got rid of it for your daughter - _Crucio_!"

"Argh!" And finally with a voice, Ariana let out a wretched scream, piercing the ears of her parents like daggers.

"- -_Expelliarmus_!"

"_Impedimenta_!" Throwing off the spell that Hermione had sent her way, Tanya grinned more triumphantly as Ariana slummed to the floor from the torture curse. "This is what's going to happen- -" Looking up at the Aurors, the woman narrowed her eyes as she kneeled down causally next to Ariana's body; still holding her hostage. "I'll give you the girl back, Mister Malfoy, in exchange for something else."

"Your freedom is not up for bargain, Miss Rowle." Harry spoke, a hand around Hermione's arm as she threatened to fall to pieces on the floor. "Surrender now, you are surrounded."

"You might imprison us, Mister Potter, but we have done the destruction we set out to do." Speaking for the first time since the invasion of Aurors, Yaxley looked simply at the Head Auror.

"…What exactly do you propose?" Draco asked, not bothered by the man's statement to Potter.

Tanya eyes brightened instantly, knowing perfectly well that whatever it took to get Ariana away from harm, the Malfoys would do. "Exchange for your daughter's life…I want yours."

"- -_What_?" Hermione gasped loudly, pushing Harry's hold from her as she took a step towards her husband. "What…What's that going to prove?"

"It's not suppose to prove anything, Mrs. Malfoy." Tanya responded, her smile wiped off instantly. "It's supposed to level the playing-field."

"Dad…Dad no." With all the strength she could muster, Ariana lifted her head so she could face her father. "No."

"That is my only proposition." Tanya said before Draco could respond to his daughter's broken pleas. "…You will imprison us, you will attack very soon and a battle will break out, but I still have your daughter's life in my hands. By the time any of you decide to disarm me, I'll still have time to end her life." At the silence that took over the Aurors, they knew she was right. "You're life, Mister Malfoy, for hers."

"_No_." Shaking her head furiously, Hermione took another step. "Not…Not Draco. You can have me, take my life and let my daughter g-go."

The ex-secretary shook her head, a little leer on her face as Yaxley laughed at the Brightest Witch's comment. "Your life is not of value for me, Mrs. Malfoy. It's your husband's death that I wish to see completed - that or you shall morn another daughter."

"Why him?" Hermione asked loudly, a wave of anger radiating off of her skin. "Why Draco? Just take mine- -"

"Revenge, Mrs. Malfoy, _revenge_!" Tanya yelled. "Your husband killed my father!" Her voice rose an octave, but she collected herself quickly from the confusion appearing from face to face. "Thorfinn Rowle, remember him?" She spat at the blonde Auror who turned two shades whiter; taking a step back as he could feel his dark mark burn from the memory. "…You do, don't you? You remember what you did to my father."

Draco narrowed his silvery-eyes, his hair swaying from side to side as he tried to shake away the memory. "It was an order, Tanya. Voldemort ordered it." The people shivered from the forbidden name. "…I had no choice, it was my punishment."

Hermione's eyes filled with shock tears, bewilderment taking over her. How could he have not told her? How could have he kept a murder hushed up?

"And your punishment caused me my father." Tanya replied heatedly. "Every one of us in here, every one involved in the silent destruction taking up your precious Wizardying World, lost something when the Death Eater era ended…When you so-called reformed-Death-Eaters were spared, but the rest of us shun forever." Inhaling in, Tanya stopped explaining. She didn't owe them explanations. "…You have a choice now, Mister Malfoy. Do you choose to save a little girl's father but let her die, or do you take away her father and let her live?"

When he was fifteen, Draco never thought once about anyone else but himself. He walked on the road of the world like it was a catwalk, like he was the almighty one and everyone else around him was nothing more than dirt. He pushed them down, letting them know their rightful place in the scale. He was a pureblood, practically royalty to the scum around him; to those people who considered themselves true witches and wizards.

When he was sixteen, he was still a king - but for a kingdom that wanted to behead their royalty. His jeweled-crown was not going to save him from the dark forces, from the evil that did in fact exist out there. He was starting to learn the meaning of redemption, of guilt, of a shaking fear that paralyzed him everyday. He knew where his loyalties laid, and that was with his family. He tore himself down emotionally to save them, to spare them, just so they could prove that their blood was the purest.

And when he turned seventeen, he was an entirely different person. He had been pushed out of the throne, away from all those lies that he helped spread once-upon-a-time-ago about his kind being the perfect ones, and was made to live like a commoner. Like an average person who was nothing greater than the person next to him on the street.

He was thirty-four now, and he was in a place in life that he never imagine he would ever be. He had a family of his own. A family that he dedicated himself to with blood, sweat, and soul. They were untouchable to him, his own little family of royalty. They were what he lived for, what he served for like a faithful servant. And that girl that was tossed on the floor like a worthless animal, was _his _daughter. She shared his blood, the same metallic-eyes, the same spirit inside - and he could not let them push her from her rightful place in the world. She was going to be the greatest witch of them all, he knew.

So was there any doubt of what he would choose?

Nodding once at the woman he had once trusted, Draco Malfoy lowered his wand on the ground. Taking a step closer to Tanya Rowle, forcing his feet to point her direction as his wife protested in the background; as his friends and coworkers shouted at him to not give in.

As they screamed that they'd find a way, that they were not going to lose, Draco stared at his daughter. Their eyes connecting, and he smiled at her. That kind of smile that he doesn't tend to show the world; something that she inherited from him. Because their bond of father and daughter was something not visible, but when it was, it came in the form of that smile.

"…_Sometimes when you're asleep, I whisper 'I love you'_." He kneeled beside her, grabbing Ariana's hand as she sobbed, shaking her head and pleading him to get up and go. "_In the moonlight at your door…_"He whispered to her that bedtime melody that Ariana loved to hear since she was three. Those caring words in a form of a song that always made her feel loved, that always made her smile when she missed her father. "_As I walk away, I hear you say…_" Tanya raised her wand, a foot slamming down on Ariana's scattered hair to keep her in place as she pointed her wand at his back; a determined expression pulling on her face as she could her Hermione scream in the distance.

Ariana squeezed her father's hand with all of the might she had left over, crying endless tears as he smiled at her for the last time in her tortured presence. "…_As I walk away, I hear you say, 'Daddy, I love you more._'" She sang back to her father, the deadly emerald light shutting her eyelids closed as she heard death come.

* * *

**AN: Well! That was the LONGEST chapter, by far, that I have written for this story. Yep, yep. I am proud.**

**Although, I didn't thoroughly explain everything in it, or else it would have been 30-pages long, but I do plan to get further into detail in the upcoming three chapters. (The last of the story, by the way.) But anyway, thanks for reading!**

**Don't hate me. (:  
**


	28. Of Heaven and Earth

**Chapter Twenty-Eight. **

With a click of two little wheels winding together, voices started to come out of a small voice-recorder that had been placed on center of the table in front of everyone. No one knew why it was there - that muggle contraption that certainly had no use in the Wizarding World. Yet, pondering over the voice-recorder was less useless as its meaning, so they perked up their ears, sat straighter on their chairs, and listened carefully.

"Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry- -" And the first voice to sound around the room was that of Teddy Lupin; Auror. "You were informed about your rights and the lack thereof being convicted Death Eater almost two decades ago. You are to answer all the questions during this interrogation with complete honesty, and if it's dictated that you are lying, Veritaserum will be issued to gain the truth."

There was a pause, the voice-recorder making a sound like if it had been stopped and then fast-forward.

"You're saying that Tanya Rowle had blackmailed you into joining her and the group of witches and wizards she had collected for her destructive plans?"

"_Yes_." A different voice responded.

"In your earlier interrogation with the Head Auror, you stated that you were forced to participate in the attack at the French Embassy, which later led to a confrontation between Rowle's small army and our Ministry officials; where Percy Weasley was taken hostage."

"…_I did_."

"Was that a lie, Mister Goyle?" Auror Lupin asked the prisoner.

There was a brief pause. ".._Not completely."_

"What else were you aware of, Mister Goyle? What else did Tanya Rowle let slip to you about her plans?"

"_I knew that she planned on attacking Luna Thomas. I-I….I knew she was keeping tabs on the Malfoy family, but I never assumed it was to cause them harm_."

A small scoff was heard coming out of the voice-recorder. Almost like the interrogator was not entirely convinced with the explanation. "What else, Mister Goyle?"

"_I didn't do this to hurt anyone, Malfoy is my friend_."

"From what history shows, Mister Goyle, Seamus Finnegan and Luna Thomas were your 'friends' too. Except, you actually let one of them die."

"_I didn't know about Finnegan_!" The prisoner protested, sounding outraged.

Another short pause. "If your loyalties _were _with the Malfoy family, why did you not report any of it to the Ministry? Mister Malfoy is an Auror, and every citizen of the British Ministry knows perfectly well that its protection-program is one of the best in the Wizarding World."

"_You don't understand_." A choppy breath exited the tiny speakers of the voice-recorder; sending out waves of frustration from the prisoner's side. "_I have…I had_…" More frustration. " _My family is the most important thing to me. I love my wife with all of my heart, and my children…they're Merlin's blessing to me…I couldn't risk them_." Another puff of air was heard. "_Tanya threatened to eliminate them all, and I tried protecting them…I asked for the Ministry's help, I was preparing a plan so my children had something to fall back on when I realized Tanya was going to end up killing Pavarti and I…but until then, I couldn't risk them. The problem was not with my kids, but with my wife and I._

_And when you're a father…you're willing to sacrifice anything for your children. And I was willing to give up my life or, possibly, my freedom for them...Just so they'd get a chance at life_."

There was a silence - silence taken by the Auror who was leading the interrogation. Something that the recorder did not show because it had no eyes, but in that exact moment, Teddy Lupin pondered over his own parents.

Because the world knew that Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks gave up their lives in battle for him; so he could grow up and live even if they wouldn't.

But it was not Teddy's place to connect an emotional memory to the motives of the prisoner.

"Until further notice, you shall remain under custody of the Ministry, and will be transferred to a cell in Azkaban until it can be decided if your sentence could be shortened. But as of right now, filed as an accomplice and traitor to the Ministry of Magic, The Wizengamot sentences you to five years in Azkaban."

With a high-pitched _beep _from the muggle-device, the interrogation that Auror Lupin had with Gregory Goyle came to an end.

But just as all the people inside of the room could get a chance to comment on what they heard so far, a second _beep _interrupted them and a new voice filled the air.

"- -State your name, age, and location of living before being apprehended by Ministry officials yesterday evening." Leading the second interrogation reordered on the little gadget, Harry Potter began with his duties as Head Auror.

A little sniffle was heard from the speakers. "_Eliz Wilkes, nineteen. Florence, Italy_."

"Do you know why you were taken into custody, Miss Wilkes?"

"_Y-Yes_." Another sniffle. "_I do_."

"Can you tell us about your involvement in Tanya Rowle's plans?" The Head Auror ask. "How exactly did a nineteen year-old girl from Italy end a part of a murder-spree in Britain?"

"…_I-I was studying abroad_." Eliz Wilkes began, her little cries echoing out of the speakers of the voice-recorder with every breath she took. "_I used to l-live in Britain with my Aunt and cousin…b-but when I l-left, things weren't their most healthy_."

"What exactly do you mean by that, Miss Wilkes?"

"_My aunt was very sick, and my cousin and her had been rowing for ages about the same things…One of them was about m-me leaving for Italy_." A pause. "_I wanted to be a fashion designer…for muggles. But Aries thought it was a disgrace to our family history_."

"Aries Yaxley is your relative?" They asked her.

"_Yes. Our mothers are…_were _sisters_."

There was a short pause as the sound of papers being shuffled came out of the speakers. "Duncan Wilkes, Knox Yaxley, both convicted Death Eaters; both deceased." Someone in the background said in a tone that suggested the statement was being read off an archive. "Except, Mister Wilkes died in the first war, more than twenty years ago and the prisoner is nineteen."

A little exhale. "_Grandfather Wilkes died in the first uprising, and…my father was killed in the last battle at Hogwarts School_." Eliz Wilkes explained before they asked her. "_…I doubt you'll find a record though, mum always said they don't remember the incompetent_."

Beep.

"- -_No, n-no. That's not true! I would never!_"

"Look, Miss Wilkes, unless you fully cooperate with us, you are very much implicated in this, and all these murders lay on your shoulders as well. I need the truth." Harry Potter's voice was strained. "Now, I'll ask again, what were the functions for Tanya Rowle and Aries Yaxley's plans?"

Another round of sniffles. "_I…I can't…Aries is my cousin, and…and it's not entirely his fault. Tanya was really manipulative when it came to him_."

"I understand the need to protect your family, Miss Wilkes, but do you think that the same loyalty crossed your cousin's head?" The Head Auror questioned. "You were tortured, Miss Wilkes, countless of times. You are still being treated to wounds Tanya Rowle left you, some that might have permanent scarring and will have after-effects. Do you think Yaxley thought about his family-loyalty to you when his partner was torturing you?"

A long pause; the little background noises taking over the speakers as the silence reigned on for a few more hesitant seconds. "_….She wanted to get revenge over the Malfoy family, but also on all the others who managed to get through life after the second war_."

"Others?"

"_Relatives, direct family members, offspring of former Death Eaters that managed to be pardoned after the Dark Lord was defeated_." Eliz Wilkes explained in soft mumbles. "_Tanya Rowle repeatedly chanted to the other recruits about how difficult life has been for them post-war; the ones that were not forgiven by the Ministry or the people of the Wizarding World. She continued to point-out their lack of fortune, their mediocre lives, the stares, and the judgment that they all got…She always said it was not a matter of killing the impure, the less than purebloods, but to level the playing-field with the purebloods who managed to scrape by_."

"But others were killed, important people that helped the Light Side during the war." Harry Potter said with a tone of anger. "How did that fit into her plan?"

"…_To get the Ministry's attention, I reckon_." Eliz replied with uncertainty. "_She had no problem killing, Mister Potter, and if it would help her…she didn't care. Not even if they were c-children_."

Then there came a moment of silence from the interrogator; a moment that was needed to collect his thoughts from former classmates that lost their lives during this episode. "You mentioned there were forced members in Tanya Rowle's plans. Do you have any names?"

"_None that I knew…I wasn't allowed to speak to the others. Aries forbade it, he didn't want…he didn't want others to think that _his _relatives were forced into getting justice_." Another short pause. "…_All I knew of was Mister Goyle. I..I accidentally overheard the plans to murder his entire family, they were just waiting for the exact moment when they could implicate Mister Goyle in all of this mess before finishing him off_.

…_I-If I could see a line-up, perhaps, I could identify the ones that were bewitched or forced into this_."

"We'll schedule a line-up after this interrogation, Miss Wilkes." The Head Auror responded considerately and quickly, almost like he was trying to get her request out of the way. "- -You mentioned there was bewitched accomplices. Who bewitched them, Miss Wilkes?"

"…_I saw Aries place the Imperius Curse on a few, but the majority that were bewitched were victims of Tanya Rowle. I heard once or twice about her brilliant skills in Legilimency and her fancy for the Imperius Curse, and that she studied and tested the Unforgivable._"

"Tested?"

"_She learned how to amplify the curse, is what I heard." _The prisoner clarified for the Head Auror. _"…She succeeded in it too._"

"Meaning what exactly, Miss Wilkes?"

"_I-I_…"A shaky inhale was heard from the tiny muggle-device. "_Aries constantly humored himself over the fact that Tanya had a Ministry Official under her rule - an Auror._"

There was another shuffle of papers, of footsteps hurriedly rushing on the floor of wherever it was that the interrogation had taken place.

"Who? Who was bewitched by Tanya Rowle?"

"…._Draco Malfoy_." Eliz murmured.

A little gasp escaped from the voice-recorder.

_Beep._

"This is a list of names of the deceased that we have linked to Tanya Rowle, Miss Wilkes." Harry Potter's voice came out again as the tape was fast-forward once more. "If you know anything about the reason of their murder, if you recognize any names, we demand full honesty and cooperation from you still."

And just as there was another quick stop from the voice-recorder, the people inside the room listening to the interrogation tape were passed out copies of the same list. So they could go ahead and see what the prisoner was shown when she was being questioned.

_Avery- Death Eater; escaped imprisonment after the war and fled to the states. _

_Sean James and family - Wizard family found murdered in the States._

_Anthony Goldstein - Former D.A. member._

_Rosemary and Kevin Goldstein - Muggle wife of Anthony Goldstein and ten year-old son._

_Jugson- Death Eater; murdered in Bulgaria three months after his release from Azkaban._

_Rodolphus Lestrange - Death Eater._

_Michelle Jones - Murdered after leaving graveyard in Russia._

_Zacharias Smith - Former D.A. member._

_Julia Smith née Diggle - Wife of Zacharias Smith; Found dead hours after her husband._

_Zoë Smith - Fifteen Year-old daughter of Zacharias Smith ; Tortured and died in muggle hospital._

_Dedalus Diggle - Former Order of the Phoenix member; father of Julia Smith._

_Lucius Malfoy - Death Eater._

_Seamus Finnegan - Former D.A member; Murdered on the outskirts of London._

_Michael Corner - Former D.A member; Murdered in the French Embassy._

_Natalie Corner née McNair - Wife to Michael Corner via Marriage Law; Pregnant when murdered._

_Marietta Rosier née Edgecombe - Former D.A member._

_Hunter Rosier - Murdered; Husband to Marietta Edgecombe via Marriage Law_.

_Pavarti Goyle née Patil - Former D.A member; Body found in a lake three miles away from her home._

_Layla Goyle - Fifteen year-old daughter to Pavarti and Gregory Goyle; Body found in a lake three miles away from her home._

"Miss Wilkes- -" After the lists were handed out, the voice-recorder was played again and Harry Potter's voice came out from the speakers once more. "Anything look familiar to you? Anything that Tanya Rowle, Yaxley, or other culprits let slip of the people on this list?

"_Seamus Finnegan was not suppose to be on this list, I know that without a doubt_." The prisoner spoke after a second. "_Dean Thomas had to take his place, the entire Thomas family had to. Tanya always emphasized on that_."

Nothing came out of the tiny speakers for another few seconds.

"…_The first two entries_." She said in that soft whisper that she had been speaking with since the interrogation started; in that almost innocent and gullible way. "_Sean James and his family were killed because of Avery._" She continued. "_It had been rumored among the few pureblood families left that when Avery escaped from Azkaban, after the mass breakout twenty-years ago, he started a family in the states…And Sean James was his son._"

"But why murder them?"

"_They were going after Avery…I remember that one_." Eliz's voice came out with an overwhelming guilt. "_Avery had settled in a farm with his new, half-blood wife, and when Tanya and the others finally tracked him down…his son and his family happened to be present as well._" The prisoner let out another sniffle. "…_There were a lot of children, some muggles even…and those poor children…_"

A sob stopped the rest of the reordered statement.

"…Anything else, Miss Wilkes?"

"_M-Michelle Jones_." She cried again as she replied to the Head Auror, this time a little louder than the sniffles she had been letting out throughout the recording. "_She was my f-friend_."

"Is that why they killed her, Miss Wilkes?" Harry Potter asked. "Because she was important to you?"

"…_No_." The way Eliz Wilkes breathed the word made the speakers fuzz. "_But I suppose it was a fraction of the reason…Tanya Rowle had a grand smile on her f-face when she told me about that one._" Sniffle. Pause. Sniffle. "_The convicted Death Eater, Jugson, was her father…The Jugsons were family friends; Michelle and I…we grew up together…She was killed because she r-refused to embrace the heritage, because her mum changed their last name when Jugson was sentenced to ten years in Azkaban after the second war_…"

"I'm sorry." It came out so quickly, so awkwardly that those who were listening to the tape barely caught the comment from the Head Auror, instead they heard a rough clearing of the throat and the next question. "Is that all, no other names?"

"_No_." The nineteen year-old prisoner said in her whisper. "…_But I know of names that were meant to be on the list, people you'd still need to protect, Mister Potter, even if it seems like it's over. And some that you need to find_."

Silence. "Who?"

"_Ernie and Millicent McMillan and their family._" Eliz said hurriedly. "_Some of Tanya's recruits imprisoned them outside of Albania. Then there's Padama, Mister Goyle's sister-in-law. Her family is hidden in Sidney Australia. Her husband was tortured, and….and I'm almost positive he's missing fingers._"

There was fast movement in the recording, one could tell by the quick and hectic conversations, the doors being shut, and commands being shouted.

"You mentioned that we needed to protect some, Miss Wilkes? Who?"

"_Blaise Zabini_- -" And she continued to cooperate with the Head Auror. "_Theodore Nott; Narcissa Malfoy; Andromeda Tonks; and…um_…"

"And who else?"

"_Teddy Lupin_."

Beep.

**X**

He was cold, very cold. There was a strong wind inside the blinding white room; swooshing piles of parchment past him as he awoke from the deepest slumber he had ever taken. He didn't want to open his eyes, he remembered, there was just so much exhaustion - but his skin started freezing and it interrupted his sleep.

He was already planning on elbowing his wife, that he expected to find next to him on their bed, but he was wrong to assume she would be there. Wrong about a lot in that millisecond. He was about to tell her that their children - most likely their son - was messing with the temperature-controller of their household, but he didn't see her in their bed. Because their was no bed; no warm body next to him, nothing but white.

He was on the floor; on a cold, colorless marbled floor that he'd never seen before. But before he could ponder over it, his ears perked up instantly and he rose up from the ground as he caught a noise from afar. A noise that sounded like weightless slaps on the marbled floor, but fast approaching.

Just as he squinted his eyes to try and see through the thick fog that took over the room, he instinctively reached into the pocket of his robes; his fingers explored the inside of the material but found nothing, his wand was gone. And before he could try and remember where he left it, the soft noises started getting louder and louder - until he saw it.

The cause of it.

"_Demetria_?"

And with a few more soft slaps to the ground caused by her palms, as she crawled her way towards the confused man, a little blonde child smiled beautifully. "_Daddy_."

At that moment - at that moment that he heard the child speak, that word so gentle and warm, Draco Malfoy took a step back; his pale complexion looking beyond shock.

Staring at his disbelief with the same smile she had on when she called for him, Demetria carefully, and a little shakily, rose herself up from the ground. Pulling on her puffy, white dress as parchment kept flying by. "_Come_." She said to her father, extending a tiny pink palm to him. "_Come, daddy_."

"_You're awake?_" Draco asked automatically, staring at the hand stretched out towards him, still not taking it. He studied it, almost like he could identify it by the marks on her fingers, like he was trying to mentally-compare them to the hands he used to hold when Demi and him walked the park some mornings. _"Dean said there was no chance_."

Demi's smile deflated inside her chocolate-colored eyes. "_I can move now_." She said clearly, still keeping her palm out. "_Come, daddy_."

"…_But how?" _Draco asked, hesitantly taking the hand of the almost-three year-old as she turned them to the direction in which she came from. "_I don't understand_." He confessed. (After all, no one was around but her.)

Deciding not to speak as long as the white took over them, Demi continued to lead her father down the overbearing room, her short legs wobbling as she did.

It had been a while, maybe a few minutes or a few days, that she got the full feeling of her legs back; of her entire small body. She remembered clearly being in a bind, but then it had stopped out of nowhere, just like Sirius Black had promised.

She was no longer in the white room, no longer frozen in a sleepy-state that had taken over her world for what seemed like years. She found herself in that place where she had met Fred Weasley and Teddy's parents, but it had gotten much beautiful since the first she had seen it.

And that's where she wanted to take him - because someone told her he was waiting for her to lead the way.

"- -_You found him_."

And just as the walls of white started fading out, a burst of green vegetation took over Draco and Demetria's vision as they stepped onto a field.

As incredulity seeped into Draco's body, a man from his childhood smiled in an arrogant way as Demi nodded in response to the statement. "_I knew you would, no help whatsoever._"

"_Brilliant mind, just like her mother's_." Another figure spoke, someone Draco had been accustomed to now…before. "_Alright there, mate?"_

Narrowing his eyes at the two men that stood before him, and other gas-points that started sprouting in thin-air and started forming themselves into solid form, Draco took a step back impulsively with his daughter; almost like he sensed danger in the atmosphere.

"_Never send a baby to do a man's job, yeah_?" And from one of the gas-points that had transformed, Fred Weasley smirked from feet away. "_Even if that kid belongs to Granger._"

"_Granger, mate? You're seriously behind news_." Seamus Finnegan said to the redheaded man.

"_Oh, right, right. She's a Malfoy now_." Fred replied casually, nodding once at Draco. "_Not bad, Malfoy, not bad at all. I suppose I'm late in the congratulations, right? Not that there's anything I could give you here, but I except George gave you something wickedly amazing_."

"_A life supply of Puking Pastilles, I think?_" Seamus wondered out loud.

"_Stop talking_." Draco hissed, his mind overwhelming itself from the random conversation between the two men; from the deep gazes of other people, especially of a silver pair that used to follow him when he was a child. Voices and eyes from people he used to know - people that were dead. "_What's going on?_"

"_You see_?" Fred continued to talk, huffing to himself. "I _should have gone to collect the bastard instead of Demi. The bloke has no clue!_"

Stepping away from the background, Draco saw Nymphadora Tonks smack the Weasel beside the head. "_And how many times do we have to tell you, Fred, that a family member is suppose to collect the newcomers?_"

"_And I'm saying, _Dora- -"Fred scowled, rubbing his head. "_That it would have been a downright good laugh if he saw me_."

"- -_You've got questions_." And finally, bringing him away from the bickering of his cousin and Fred Weasley, Draco saw the man with silver-eyes speak. "_Ask away, Draco_."

Looking up at her father, Demi nodded at the confused man. "_Granddad_." She said with her smile, a small finger pointed at the other man.

Breathing in once, letting the air of the field enter his lungs, Draco looked towards his father; ignoring the rest. "_Why am I here - Why is Demi here?…You're all dead_."

"_Thanks for pointing out the obvious_." Fred mumbled in the background.

"_Do you remember what happened, Draco_?" Lucius Malfoy asked his son, the gentle wind pushing his white-blonde hair backwards. "_Anything from before you woke_?"

Looking down at the grass, Draco forced his memory to open. To push past all the white that had instantly taken over everything.

He could see little dots of something, of lights - of _spells_. He could see a building crumbling, Percy Weasley, then Goyle.

Stop.

He concentrated, flashes and swirls of what were supposed to be his memories started taking over inside his head.

_Goyle _- He remembered seeing Goyle. Seated in an interrogation room, chained, tears in his eyes, but there was fury in the memory, Draco could _feel _it. Then there was Hermione, crying and pleading, being held back by Potter. He saw Weasley running towards his daughter; Rose tied up in a chair like hostage.

Hostage - _Ariana_.

He saw her tossed on the ground, tortured and burned in various parts of her exposed skin. There was blood, her blood, he was sure of that. Tanya Rowle was standing over her, a foot on her stomach, an evil glitter in her eyes as she pointed her wand at Ariana.

Her wand - the spells, the revelation.

Tanya was responsible.

'_You have a choice now, Mister Malfoy. Do you choose to save a little girl's father but let her die, or do you take away her father and let her live?'_

Draco dropped his wand, he approached Tanya, resignation in his eyes as he lowered next to the body of his fourteen year-old daughter, he squeezed her hand, she sobbed silently next to him, he sang her something, Hermione cried louder in the background, Ariana closed her eyes, the flashes of light took over, and he felt something warm pierce his body.

"- - _Ariana_." Draco snapped, his focus coming back as he stared worriedly at his father, squeezing Demi's hand a little tightly as his heart thumped. "_My daughter, where is she?_"

Lucius nodded solemnly, knowing that his son remembered what he needed him to. "_She's in a grave state in St. Mungos, she'll need a lot of rest, but…she's alive_."

As his heart settled from his father's statement, something crossed Draco's head. "_She is_…_I'm not_."

"- -_Show him_." In the back with his wife, Remus Lupin spoke to Lucius. "_Show him, Malfoy_."

With a quick wave of his wrist, Lucius Malfoy pointed a finger to the right side of where Draco and Demetria stood. A blur of an image appearing in the air like a projected vision.

'- -No! No! Don't tell me that, Dean!' With crying and devastated eyes, Hermione's face appeared in the projection. Her body shaking as Ginny Potter rushed over to her, holding her up as Healer Thomas looked saddened.

'I'm sorry, Hermione…but Demi's heart gave up. It was a matter of time.'

As his heart broke from his wife's visible-destruction, Draco glanced at his daughter. Staring at her with a conflicted gaze as she smiled at him still, like there was no care in the world.

Demi shrugged, turning back towards the projection as it blurred. It was time for her, and she wasn't sure how to explain that to her father.

In the fog-made screen, Angelina Weasley appeared next to Dean Thomas; whispering something to him as her own tears sparkled in her eyes. Her gaze flickering back and forth towards the devastated Hermione as she spoke to the Healer.

'…Hermione.' Dean called, his expression looking more defeated as he nodded once at his fellow Healer. 'I'm sorry…about Demi…and…'

'And what?' Mrs. Potter retorted, now getting assistance from her husband and her brother. 'And what, Dean? What more could you tell her? Her daughter's….Just bring a calming draught!' The redheaded woman hissed, looking furious as Hermione continued to whimper.

Not reacting to Ginny's order, Healer Thomas sighed unevenly as he closed the file in his hands. 'Draco died five minutes ago, Hermione…I'm sorry.'

At the mortifying sob that no one could guess came from Hermione Malfoy, the projection disappeared as the brunette fell to the ground. Ripples of misery coming out of her body and past her mouth as she sobbed even more.

"_How_?" Draco asked immediately, something inside his chest falling as the image of his wife burned in his head. "_How_?" He repeated louder as no one answered him. "_How could I have died in the hospital? I was murdered in Malfoy Manor, protecting my daughter!_"

"_In the moment that the spell was headed your way, Harry casted his own shielding spell_." And the one to answer was Tonks; her voice neutral and soft. "_He didn't have much time, but he reacted in a precise moment. He couldn't possibly know what was going to happen, but he knew that the same spell had saved his life many times from death._"

"_The spell bounced off the one Potter casted_." Next to explain was Seamus. "_Instead of hitting you or your daughter, it got Tanya Rowle_."

"_Sound familiar_?" Fred grinned lightly, crossing his arms as he inhaled the air of the field. "_That Potter learned from the past, smart lad_."

"…_So what exactly happened to me, then?" _Draco questioned, ignoring the redhead. "_If the killing curse did not touch me, what happened?"_

"_A battle blew out, that's what_." Fred answered, not getting the hint that Malfoy did not want to hear from him. "_Oh, and there was some kind of by-product of the two clashing spells that got you_."

"_Like what happened to Demetria?" _Draco asked.

Lucius shook his head, aiming a small smile at his granddaughter. "_Demetria was exposed to various spells, but you got traces of the killing curse in your system. Not enough to kill you in that moment, but to end you eventually._"

At the explanation his father gave him, Draco pressed his lips into a tight line.

He was dead - how could that be? How could he be dead? How could Demi be dead for that matter?

It wasn't suppose to happen…Not for many years at least. His daughter _was _supposed to make it past two, learn how to walk perfectly, to go off to a muggle-school, to go to Hogwarts, to have an entire life…But she was dead.

His story was different - he was an Auror after all, and a reformed Death Eater. His life expectancy wasn't as high as his daughter's, but he knew in his heart that he was meant to grow old with his wife. That he still had ages of crawling into bed with Hermione, of holding her next to him, of pressing his lips to hers, of making love to her like there was no tomorrow…

And now there truly wasn't.

He never got a chance to amend what Tanya had destroyed. And so, he left her thinking that their love - his love wasn't true.

"_I can't be dead_." Draco muttered sternly, like he was trying to reason with himself. "_I can't be_." He shook his head, glaring at the people staring at him. "_I _need _to fix things. I need to be there for my children, to make sure Scorpius grows up a good man, that Ariana follows in her mother's footsteps….I need to be with my wife. This can't be the end._"

Fred's grin slanted. _"Resignation takes twelve-steps_." He said to the once-nemesis to his family, aiming a look at Lucius as the latter nodded at his statement. _"It's a good thing Demi accepted it on the spot, that's a smart child for you." _He took a step forward, cracking his fingers as he stretched a palm out towards Draco's chest. "_Be sure to remember that next time, because there won't be a turning-point for that one._"

Raising an eyebrow at the redheaded man, Draco's retort was halted as he watched his father kneel down in front of his grandchild and extend a palm towards her chest too. "…_You be a good girl, Dem Dem_." Lucius whispered, pressing a featherlike kiss to forehead.

Jab. Jab.

Draco was being electrocuted - at least it felt that way. Fred Weasley pressed his palm on his chest once again, grinning like an idiot as Draco felt a searing sensation inside his body; pulling on his heart and burning his bones.

"_You're an okay bloke, Malfoy_." Fred huffed at the man, pressing his palms harder on his chest as the field started disappearing and Demetria started fading away from her stance; waving goodbye at the others as she did. "_We'll meet again."_

And with that, Draco started soaring backwards. All the white, all the parchment started blowing past him. All in the quickest and shocking of manners, barely allowing him to lock eyes with his father before he vanished into a gas-point with the rest.

'_Love your family, my son.'_

With the last words that he heard from his father, Draco jerked back; a black cloud engulfing him as he felt like he collided with something.

One - blurs.

Two - flashes.

Three - darkness.

Four - light.

Five - wires and tubes.

Blinking like he was seeing the sun after a long nap, Draco opened his eyes to find a pair of hazel ones staring at him with the grandest disbelief in the world.

Feeling like his entire body was sore, he forced himself to move his fingers; to squeeze back at the ones that were holding on to his. And with a inhale, and a quick glance to that muggle-contraption that did nothing more than _beep, beep, beep_, he smiled. "Hermione."

They were alive.

* * *

**AN: Well, this was unexpected. LITERALLY. I was NOT planning to write this chapter - hence no third generation this chapter - and I WAS planning on killing a character.**

**But you all get the best of me. (:**

**Hope you guys like it and that it's not TOO confusing to understand.**

**But if you are, I'll answer questions.  
**


	29. The Truth In All Angles

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

Racing smoothly through the corridors on his tip-toes, a Slytherin boy hid behind one of the ancient marbled walls as a group of students passed by him.

And just as that group of giggling witches, all dressed in their Spring-best, were in the right spot for him to move unnoticed, the boy continued to proceed with his tip-toeing as he spotted his target give a turn on one of the halls.

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

Hiding behind another wall as his target stopped for a moment to adjust their clothing, the Slytherin saw two of his thickheaded house-mates shove a little First Year Hufflepuff down a few steps; the look of fear and like he was about to wet his wizard-shorts on his face as Joseph Flint and Thomas Nott roared with laughter at his expense.

Shrugging as he quickly wondered why the brains of the operation, Damien McLaggen, was not among his loyal cronies, the Slytherin waved it off and continued on as Professor Slughorn came waddling out one of the classrooms, stuffing something in his pocket as he himself looked suspicious.

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

Taking a giant huff of air, with his eyes wide open, the Slytherin took a dive towards the crook of a wall as the Potions Master was stopped by Peyton Weasley; the redheaded boy started pleading for an extra day to turn in his essay or else his mummy Pansy will butcher him a new one.

Crawling a few centimeters towards the edge, the Slytherin poked an eye threw the thick legs of Professor Slughorn to make sure his target was still visible to him. (Thank Merlin for the crowded halls.)

"Please, Professor, please." Peyton continued to beg, looking tempted to toss himself on his knees due to the professor's hesitation. "The term is almost over, and if I don't get at least an Exceeds Expectations in your subject mum will send me to visit her family for the summer."

Rolling his eyes as his fellow Slytherin was putting their house to shame, and feeling slightly upset and insulted that Slughorn, as head of Slytherin House, was not willing to pardon a Slytherin, the boy huffed silently to himself as the two distractions kept on their feet.

"I'll polish the cauldrons for the rest of the semester, Professor, come on!"

Shaking his head with a small exhale, Professor Slughorn looked at Ron Weasley's child blankly. "Alright, m'boy, alright. But there is one condition."

"Anything." Peyton grinned, looking victorious in his eyes. (Begging may be underneath the morals his mum taught him, but Peyton couldn't deny that it worked charms. Kind of like when his dad does it when he asks for seconds at dinner and gets his way.)

"You have to get your Uncle Harry to come and visit me before the year ends, I've got a lot to discuss with that boy."

Before frustration could ruin his entire operation and he stood up to shout at Weasley and at the professor for being the ones to blame, the Slytherin snorted as Peyton made his way happily and the professor continued on with his path.

Jumping onto his feet, he managed to catch his target turn towards the main entrance of Hogwarts; no doubt heading towards the grounds.

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

And just as his assumption was correct, the Slytherin stopped behind a group of Ravenclaws as the target stopped once more - this time by Dawn Thomas, daughter of Luna and Dean Thomas.

As he tried focusing on their lips, almost like if he'd get the juicy gossip of their conversation like that, the Slytherin was quickly distracted by the interaction as he spotted a well-known blonde Gryffindor walk hastily towards a girl that almost made her way into the Great Hall.

"- -Lana!"

Turning in all of her grace, Lana McLaggen's expression appeared to be disappointed as she noticed the boy who called her. (Not the one that she had expected for a while now…that one that hasn't shown up for days.) "Oh, hello" She mumbled in a low voice.

Taking a much needed breath, Louis Weasley stopped in front of the Slytherin witch looking a nervous-wreck. "Um…you do remember me, right?" He asked hesitantly. "Louis, Louis Weasley." He said after the girl remained silent. "I'm Al's cousin?"

Watching the interaction, the hidden-Slytherin chuckled to himself. (That Weasley had no swagger whatsoever and he was part veela!)

"I know who you are." Lana replied after another silent second. "…Do you need anything?"

Louis blinked. "Um…Oh, well…I just wanted to - How are you?" He finally settled on something, babbling was heredity and he needed to fight it before she got bored of his nonsense.

The Slytherin-boy smacked a hand to his forehead, that Weasley was an idiot and put the male-race to shame.

"Great." Lana replied politely, but sounding very unsure and confused at the same time. "…Why?" She added, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Um, well, rumor around the Gryffindor common room is that Malfoy ditched you- -"It slipped out fast before Louis could stop it. "I mean…it looks like you and Malfoy broke-up, and I…erm…I just wanted to know how you…were."

The McLaggen girl's expression sulked even more; being reminded about her break-up with Scorpius Malfoy was the last thing she wanted to hear about. (No hurt feelings there, but the girl couldn't deny that she missed the boy a lot.) "Thanks for the concern, but I'll be alright."

And just as the Slytherin spying on the conversation could turn to his target as Lana turned on her heels, he was stopped from continuing on with his mission as Louis Weasley shouted the unthinkable; what no one thought he would have the…brains to do.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" Lana asked, looking shocked herself.

Red in the face, Louis took a shaky step towards the girl. "Would…Would you like to go out with me?" He inhaled. "On a date?"

"..Ah."

"Look, I've fancied you for a while." Louis confessed as the girl didn't look so convinced. "I know I'm not in Slytherin, I'm a menace, I do idiotic things, I can be a prat, and I hate your brother, but beside all of that, I really am a good bloke." He continued, not knowing that the hidden-Slytherin was chuckling quietly behind the group of Ravenclaws. "And…well, I know I can make you happy if you'd just give me a chance. Just one, that's all I ask for."

_Say no, say no, say no_, the Slytherin chanted mentally at the McLaggen girl.

In another few seconds of quiet, Lana smiled. "One date, Louis." And at the response that nobody expected, she pulled on a smile as the Gryffindor gasped. "I'll be glad to go out with you."

_Boo!_, the Slytherin scoffed, turning away from Lana and Louis as he grew disappointed.

At that exact moment, Dawn Thomas waved goodbye to his target; leaving the target's path clear to head towards their destination without the Second Year; and so, he began tip-toeing again.

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

Dodging Professor Longbottom, the Slytherin felt the fresh air of the grounds collide with his face as he exited the confinement of the castle ; the laughter of students and chirping of the birds invading his hearing as his target headed towards the direct path to the Black Lake.

"Well, you're looking grim, Longbottom- -" Tossing himself on the grass, rolling behind a bench occupied by Savanna Zabini and Fred Weasley, the Slytherin breathed to himself before he collided with James Potter. "Something got your knickers in a twist?" The eldest of the Potter children asked the girl he stopped in her path.

From the place where he was hiding, undetected by Savanna and Fred, the Slytherin saw Alice Longbottom scoff at the Gryffindor. "Shove off, Potter." She replied nastily, so uncharacteristically for someone with Neville Longbottom's blood.

"Oi, don't snap at me." James retorted back, knitting his eyebrows at the Hufflepuff girl. "Let me guess, someone told you that Frankie displayed your undergarments in the Gryffindor common room yesterday night?"

"_My brother did what_?" Alice gasped, turning a bright pink.

James got a glitter of satisfaction in his brown-eyes, reaching over and patting the girl on her bare shoulder. "Nothing, little Alice, nothing." He said carelessly, subduing a chuckle. (Oh, she was going to get a surprise on the last day of school.) "But, honestly, you've been sulking around for a few days. I'm starting to get worried."

Alice narrowed her eyes.

"So Hufflepuff and Gryffindor are competing for the Quidditch cup, but I am still very worried. I don't won't the opposing team's seeker to die out there if she can't get her head in the game."

The Slytherin hiding behind the bench scoffed, _You'd throw her off the broom gladly._

"Well - -"Huffing to herself, Alice dropped her guard as Potter kept rubbing her shoulder smoothly. "I got a letter from Dash a week ago, and apparently he said that we couldn't be friends anymore…And, ironically, Lysander thinks the same thing."

"They both ditched you?" James asked, trying even more not to laugh at that. "Why?"

Alice crossed her arms in an indignant way. "I fancy Dash, but Lysander fancies me. And according to the bloody letter, Dash will not ruin his friendship with the Twins for me, especially since he already likes another witch, and Lysander needs time to get 'over' me."

"Ha, it's one of those." James mumbled, for the first time not wanting to laugh as his eyes left Alice for a few seconds to glance towards the bench.

The Slytherin behind it froze, he was surely caught and the entire operation gone down the loo. But right as he expected a shout to reveal his location from Potter, the Slytherin noticed he wasn't looking down at him - but at the two people on that bench that were too enchanted into each other to notice him.

"So it's true." Alice broke the silence, smirking to herself as James turned to her again. "You do like Savanna Zabini."

The Gryffindor frowned. "I do not." He defended for himself, dropping the hand he had on her shoulder. "She's Fred's girlfriend, and I wouldn't do that to a cousin."

"Yeah, but you fancied her before and she chose Weasley over _you_." Alice corrected. "Pity, Potter. How ever will you get over that? Your first heartbreak."

_Savanna and Weasley, a couple?_ The Slytherin questioned himself, looking up at the bench and finding the two with fingers intertwined.

"Dumped by two blokes at the same time, how ever will you get over that?" James snapped back, scowling.

But instead of reacting in a way that any sane girl would, Alice Longbottom only dropped her smirk for a small fraction. Her eyes twinkling the same way James' were. "I have an idea." She whispered to the Gryffindor.

Raising his eyebrow for a second, James glanced back at Savanna and Fred. He felt something sink in his chest, pretty damn sure it was his heart, but he wasn't willing to admit that his relationship with Ariana Malfoy had been a sham to make Savanna jealous. "Alice, my love, have you seen the broomstick closet of the seventh floor?" James asked, trying to wave off his heartache as he took Alice Longbottom's hand. "It's quite fascinating, I'm sure you'll love it."

Grimacing at the thought of what exactly was going to go down in that broomstick closet, the Slytherin rolled himself away from the bench as the couple sitting on it started making googly-eyes at each other.

Dun.

Dun. Dun.

_Aha, at last!_

After a few minutes of scavenging for his target, the Slytherin spotted it sitting on the hill by the Black Lake.

And with a coy smile on his face, the grace he had on his tip-toes, he descended forward from behind a tree to get to his target.

"- -Jump on me, and I'll hex your manly-bits off."

_Bloody hell._

Standing in an awkward position as he was about to launch himself forward, the target turned on their seat to glare at him. "Or, I should just do it since you've been following me for the past hour, Zabini."

"It was only forty-five minutes." Angelo Zabini replied to his victim, sulking to himself as he took a seat next to her. "Don't feel so special, you're not all that."

Dominique Weasley scoffed. "What are you on about? I'm the most demanded person in this castle since my Uncle Harry roamed the halls."

"Yeah, but he had fame, you have nothing." Angelo sulked.

"I have legacy!" Dominique retorted, scoffing again as she crossed her long, exposed legs before the Slytherin tried to take a peek underneath her dress.

Zabini shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the grass as he tried to enjoy the little moment of silence he got with the redhead. (Because there never was many, she was always threatening to kill him a few seconds in.)

He knew if he made it seem like she wasn't the greatest witch out there, he would get a rise out of her, and he enjoyed her rants about how wicked she was. And Zabini knew better than anyone how awesome she actually was, but sometimes it secretly hurt how she rejected every complement he sent her way.

"…So." The Seventh Year witch spoke up, shrugging her shoulders too at the silence in the air. "Why were you following me today? I expected you'd be after your little sister and Fred, because, you know, they are an item."

Angelo made a sour expression. "I'd be more worried if she would have ended up with Potter, but Weasley is a good bloke." He replied truthfully, still looking at the grass. "…I heard something today."

"That mental Hufflepuff that ran naked through the Forbidden Forest?" She nodded her head. "They're behaving out of order lately, McGonagall needs to handle."

"What - _no_." Zabini shook his head, looking up at her. "I mean, when I was following you." He corrected. "Some of your mates were gossiping about how happy you were…and how you're finally settling down."

"Oh, _that_." Dominique said after a second. "Well, yeah." She shrugged. "I'm off the Hogwarts-market."

Silence again, and the redheaded Gryffindor sighed

"It's quite a funny story of how it happened, actually." She offered a little awkwardly. "You're welcomed to congratulate me, as well, you know." She pulled on an off smile and elbowed the Slytherin in the ribs jokingly. "Oh, come on, Zabini. You can't expect me to apologize, right? Mind you, you're the last person that I was thinking about when I finally…'settled' down."

Nothing was said again and this time Dominique felt slightly bad. (And she means _slightly_.)

It's not like she didn't know that Zabini was completely smitten with her, but that wasn't her problem, is it? She has broken many hearts in her seven years in Hogwarts, and she is not responsible for the consequences of others' feelings. She was just who she was, and she fell for someone who wasn't ideal to Zabini's liking. (Or his dreams.)But despite that, she had to admit it was kind of endearing that he followed her like a faithful puppy and always looked out for her, even if she was three years older than him and she mistreated him time and time again.

"- -Alright, Zabini, get up." And after guilt seeped into her system, Dominique rose up to her feet, dusting her dress from the grass of the hill and stared at the Slytherin impatiently. "Hurry up, boy, I haven't your time. I said up, _now_."

Instantly - because even though he was upset with her - Zabini stood up, knowing she was not to be defied. Just as he was staring into those emerald eyes, the ones that sort of matched his except hers were definitely more brilliant and alluring, he watched as she placed her palms on either side of his shoulders; still making eye contact.

And before he could enjoy the tingly sensation on his skin, he was taken aback by her giant frustrated sigh and her lips that met his.

He was sure somewhere in the heavens above, Merlin was shooting fireworks in the sky for his victory, for his dream that he has been dreaming since he was twelve and he caught a fifteen year-old Dominique changing into her dress. It was magical; his heart was thumping loudly in his chest.

He was kissing her - no, wait, _she kissed him_!

But just as he went in to pull her close, she smacked a hand to his chest and separated her mouth from his.

"Wow."

Fixing her dress once again, Dominique nodded. "Yeah, I know. I give people that reaction." She said nonchalantly. "Now, you feel better, right?"

Zabini grinned like he was hit on the head by a bludger. "Loads."

"Good." The guilt slipped away, along with her pride and some of her self-respect. "I have to meet Krum by the greenhouses." She told a still-dazed Zabini. "And after this little, whatever it is, I'm running late. I'm supposed to be meeting my cousin here, so just spend some time with her, yeah? I've got a boyfriend to meet, and that's like Uncle Ron on a diet - unheard of."

As his eyes followed the Gryffindor's retreat, Zabini couldn't help but to notice that he wasn't feeling particularly hurt. The love of his life just confessed that she was dating Erik Krum - that slimy, athletic, muscular, older git - and he was perfectly okay with that. No heartbreak whatsoever.

"Humph." Angelo huffed to himself, not noticing when a redheaded girl walked next to him as he recalled the kiss.

"- -Um, Angelo?"

Blinking away from the victory-dance his brain was giving - because, come on, the Weasleys were going to die when they found out about his snog with Dominique - the Slytherin found brown-eyes piercing his. "…Yeah?" He asked the girl, inspecting her.

The redhead narrowed her eyes. "It's me." She said to the dark-skinned boy. "Molly Weasley, you dunce."

And just as he was inspecting her, Zabini's jaw practically dropped when he recognized the girl. "Holy Salazar." He breathed, she had grown up nicely in those three years that she left to Paris.

"Have you seen Dom? She's supposed to spend time with me while my parents talk to the Headmistress." Molly said, scouting the grounds for her older cousin.

With the widest smirk on his face, Angelo enlaced his arm through Molly's; steering her towards the gardens. "Dom's currently busy, but allow me to welcome you back."

Oh, it was a good day; this girl had potential.

**X**

He had been walking around for a few minutes - or possibly hours. He wasn't sure at the moment. All he knew of was that _disgusting _sinking feeling in his chest that he hadn't been able to get rid of for days now; or weeks apparently. (He wasn't sure.)

He was running out of options on who to turn to, even if the most obvious one was to go to his best friend, to his almost brother. But if he would to try and talk to him about that feeling that was in his chest, he was sure he'd end up jinxing his friend into obliteration and make the situation a lot worse than it actually was. And because of that, he found himself pacing back and forward on that empty corridor that most people didn't know existed.

Except if you were a Gryffindor, of course.

"- -Ah, it's you."

And just as he was coming back from his pace towards the end of the corridor, twirling a book in his hands, silver-eyes found a little redhead girl standing with her hands on her waist; looking aggravated.

"You have most of the First Year Gryffindors shaking in their underwear inside the common room, Malfoy." Lily Potter continued, still looking mad as she stuffed her wand into the pockets of her flowery-dress. "And some Fourth Years that say you vowed to hex of their manly-bits."

Scorpius Malfoy narrowed his eyes, not saying anything.

And at his expression, little twelve year-old Lily did the same. "You don't intimidate me, Malfoy, but I will summon the Headmistress if half of Gryffindor-house can't get out the common room. I need to study for my History of Magic exam and they are making a racket."

"How exactly were you planning on studying, Lily-pad, if your brother accidentally took your book?" Malfoy threw back, feeling quite smug as he could see a few Gryffindors poke their heads out from the portrait of the Fat Lady that rested a few yards away. "Oh, and you can tell your house-mates that they can come out now, I'm not here to cause them harm…today." (What happened to Gryffindor-courage?)

At his comment and Lily's gesture for them to come out, Scorpius watched slightly amused as ten Gryffindors marched out of their hiding-hole, all of them young except for a few that he still needed to get revenge on for looking at him like they knew the story of his life.

"…_Pathetic_." Lily muttered to herself, shaking her red hair as one of the Fourth Years practically scrammed past Malfoy. "I'll have my book back, thank you."

Usually, Scorpius would have just tossed the girl her book, turned around and caused havoc among those courage-less Gryffindors, but for some reason he held on tighter to her book, taking a silent step back as she took one forward and extended her little palm out.

The Second Year raised her eyebrow. "Malfoy." She called, her patience low, he could tell. "History of Magic exam in three days, my book, _now_."

"Do you ever feel…_odd_? About being in those books?" Scorpius questioned, throwing off Lily completely. "Opening the pages and seeing your family in it…Scans of old Prophet clippings of when you were born?" He paused, looking down at the book he happened to stumble across when he was looking for that shirt he let Al borrow weeks back. "They're heroes…but they're your parents."

Little Lily dropped her annoyed expression as she couldn't help but to feel partially sympathetic to her brother's best mate. "And if they fall, or when they die, it becomes another means to praise them, but no one knows the pain you'd feel because they're _your _family, not the Wizarding World's?" Another pause between the two. "….Yeah, I know the feeling."

"They're adding my grandfather's death to the new edition of books next year." Scorpius looked back up at the girl. "…If things would have gone against our favor, I'd expect that most of my family's death would be in that book too."

Lily pulled on a dim smile on her face. "You care a lot, don't you?"

The Slytherin furrowed his brows. "Just nervous, actually."

"But why?" The younger student asked. "Daddy wrote to me two days ago, your dad's perfectly fine…Demi…well, Dean sees potential on that."

"They both died." Scorpius retorted, that feeling inside his chest tightening as he did. "At the same time. I reckon it's safe to say that…we'll never know."

"Yeah, but they both came back." Lily continued with that smile. "Only Merlin knows how it happened, and _why_, but they are both breathing again. Isn't it enough that Demi stopped using those tubes and now she can breathe on her own? That's progress, Malfoy."

_But nothing is guaranteed_, was what Scorpius was trying to scream out. He had lived years thinking that his family was always going to stay united, and yet, his parents were getting divorced; he thought it was unimportant that he shrugged off Demi when she wanted to play, and she almost died; he thought he could live a life without Ariana, and when she did disappear - things were just being reevaluated.

"Here's your book, little Potter- -"Offhandedly, Scorpius tossed the Gryffindor her book. "And, we _never _had this conversation, got it?"

Lily Luna smiled grander. "I'll curse you if you don't leave Gryffindor territory." (Yep, she was his favorite female-Potter.)

"I tore out some pages from the middle chapters to make enchanted cranes, just a heads up." Scorpius replied with his attitude as he began to walk past the Second Year.

And just as Lily was about to whip out her wand to curse his back, both her and Scorpius were silenced as two unexpected Gryffindors turned into the corridor.

"…Well, isn't this a surprise." One of them said, forcing the Slytherin a step back like their voice was a ghost from the past.

"Rose! Ana!" Lily screamed with her high-pitched lungs. "For Merlin's saggy quaffles!" And pushing the blonde, the youngest of the Potter children launched herself to hug the two returning students. "No one told us you were getting back today! Oh, I've missed you!"

"Easy there, Lils." Rose Weasley smiled at her cousin charmingly, settling Ariana as Lily practically pushed her off her muggle-crutches. "It was a last minute thing, but Ana was just let out of the hospital today, and well, we wanted to come back already."

Squeezing on either girls arms, Lily laughed wholeheartedly. "Where you up at the Head Office? Did you see Uncle Percy? Who brought you? Did you know Molly and Lucy are back? Does anyone else know?"

"The entire Auror Department brought us, it seemed." Rose scoffed, helping Ariana settle herself again as she almost lost control of her footing. "And I'm pretty sure some Slytherins saw us on our way up, so no doubt everyone will know in a few minutes."

The two redheaded cousins continued talking like the two siblings were not there - like Scorpius was not staring at both girls with a look of awe written on his face; like his walls of protection that kept his emotions blocked did not just fall.

His heart was giving that loud _thump, thump _inside his chest, replacing that disturbing feeling he had been feeling since the two girls were kidnapped in Hogsmeade those excruciating days ago. He was starting to get overwhelmed, and the need to flee was starting to cross his head.

But he couldn't move, silver met silver.

_What had they done to her?_

That sensation to runaway before he exposed himself was faded out by a wretched emotion, a mixture of anger and nostalgia as he got a good glimpse of his sister. She was bruised, her delicate features marked with fading blotches of yellow, green, and purple. Her skin looked paler than usual, like she had been suffering for days; also holding some scabs of previous cuts on it. And the exposed skin she was showing had rings of mending- burned skin.

She had been tortured - his sister, his beast. Someone had dared to harm her, and he hadn't been there to protect her.

_Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud._

"- -Out of my way!" With rapid footsteps that sounded like a horse was galloping through Hogwarts, Scorpius was distracted from the view of his sister as someone pushed a passing Gryffindor out of the way. "It's true." He breathed, coming to a stop as his eyes met the two newly-arrived girls. "Merlin, _it's true_."

"Oi, be careful, will you?" Rose snapped as Al Potter rushed to snatch Ariana from her hold. "If you break her, she'll be sent to St. Mungos again."

"…I can't believe you're back, Ana." Al breathed in a slow whisper, clutching on to the Gryffindor-Malfoy as her brother looked on uncomfortably.

Patting Al's back - trying not to let her emotions get the best of her, because she was not about to tear up in front of his family and his best friend - Ariana smiled into the crook of Al's neck. (She had missed that - missed _him_.)

"You're really back." He muttered again when her silence pierced his ears.

"Alright, alright. Enough of that." Lily huffed, tugging on her brother's sleeve to let Ariana go. "Help me get her inside the common room, I'm sure she needs to rest. And if the rest of the lot comes around, she'll never make it out in once piece."

Unwillingly, but knowing that Lily made sense, Al separated three inches from Ariana. "….Merlin, I needed you." He said truthfully, not caring that there was watching-eyes.

And in the spur of that attitude that Al was radiating out, Ariana leaned back into those three inches he had removed and gave him a sweet peck.

Groaning inside at the unpleasant scene, Scorpius opened his mouth as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and his sister was being helped towards it by the Potter siblings. "- -_Ana_." He called in an uncharacteristic tone.

Brother and sister looked at each other in a very deep manner. Something intensely pure sparkling in the silver of their eyes. Adoration, Admiration, Nostalgia, Pain, but mostly love.

And being who they were, neither of the Malfoys said anything. Instead, Ariana smiled at her older brother in a way she never had, and proceeded to walk into her house's common room without a look back. (Because she knew he'll be protecting it from now on.)

"Ha." With a little puff of a giggle, Rose caught Malfoy's attention. "I expected more from your part, Malfoy. She is your sister after all, and she just survived a war." A tone of anger was to be present, but neither of them found it as the redhead sounded more casual than anything. "But I suppose that's who you two are."

Scorpius kept his expression blank, he could see the brown in her eyes gleam in the light of the candles around. Still as bright as ever, no doubt.

"She was most nervous about seeing you, you know?" Rose added softly, looking down at her feet as another thought crossed her head. "….I suppose we both were."

He wasn't the best at the emotional-thing, especially because he thought it was the most weakening thing a wizard could do, but Scorpius knew that there was a reason why everything had spiraled out of control. Now, that never meant he would admit it, but there was something. A consequence of almost losing everything.

His grandfather had once told him that he needed to watch over Ariana for a very specific reason, and that was because she would remain distant from the world and give out an image of being coldhearted. And when he had asked his grandfather who would protect _him_, because he was exactly the same as Ariana, Lucius had said, '_Ana's is automatic, Scorpius, but yours….yours is easily melted away. There will come a time, and you'll know when, that your defenses will drop. You have more of your mother in you than what you can hope. _'

He had waved it away as Lucius preferring Ariana better, but Scorpius finally understood now.

Walking towards the redhead, Scorpius felt his heart bang faster in his chest as he could already smell that very floral-essence she carried with her everywhere she went.

Noticing that he got closer, Rose slowly picked up her head; her eyes connecting with Scorpius's. It was a match of the age, of that burning silver and that alluring brown. Of two polar-opposites, of hate and something pure, of need and repulsion, of war and peace.

She was about to open her mouth to say something contradicting to her previous comment, but she was stopped by something that almost ended her life then and there. Something straight to the point and destructive. "….I love you, Rose."

And nothing more.

* * *

**AN: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! (:**


	30. Twists of Fate

**Chapter Thirty**

"Come on, come on now - settle down, you lot."

At the shuffling of feet and little conversations here and there, Kingsley Shacklebolt leaned a little to his side towards Molly Weasley as she tried to assemble everyone together in her cozy living room. "Does not matter how old they get, they still never listen."

Huffing in agreement, Mrs. Weasley nodded her head as she watched disapprovingly as Ron gave his sister a shove; pushing her away before she took the armchair he loved to proclaim as his when they visited the Burrow. "Their children act more orderly than they do." She replied to the dark-skinned man; an old family friend. "Just hopeless."

"- -Shove me one more time, Ronald, and you'll lose that hand, I swear it."

"Well, _move_, Ginevra- -"The tall redheaded man had retorted to his sister, patting the armrest so his wife could sit by his side. "Your fat ass is getting in the way of things."

Clenching her jaw tight, Ginny Potter was pulled back a step for fear of that dangerous look in her eyes. "You're one to talk about someone's weight, Ron. Put on another twenty pounds, have you?"

"Alright, alright. That's enough!" Molly scolded before Ron turned completely red in the face and someone started shooting spells from their wand. "Sit, all of you. Now." She commanded as Harry pulled Ginny to the seat next to him and one of her older brothers.

Stepping from behind his wife and the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley looked brightly at all the expecting faces waiting for someone to speak. "We have called you here today for a few reasons, and one of them being that most of you are still members of the Order of the Phoenix."

Raising an eyebrow, Pansy Weasley looked skeptically at her father-in-law. "Then what are Zabini and I doing here?" She asked. "Isn't there some kind of no-ex-Death-Eaters policy?"

Mister Weasley looked momentarily confused. "Who told you that, Pansy?"

"Zabini."

"Only because that's what Weasley said when I tried sneaking into one last time!" Blaise Zabini, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed like an obedient child, had blurted as everyone looked at him. "- -You lied to me, you slimy git!"

Grunting, Ron shrugged. "Well, you shouldn't have pissed me off that day, Zabini. Who's a fool now?"

"Alright, alright, forget it!" Mrs. Weasley had shouted at the crowd before Zabini could launch himself towards her youngest son. "Pansy, darling, you are family, obviously we trust you. And you, Blaise, dear, you have proven yourself more than loyal all this time, we trust you just as much."

Scoffing but looking pleased, Blaise muttered a, "You lot better."

"Can we just get on with it?" George Weasley had asked, frowning at his mother as he tapped his foot impatiently. "It was Teddy's day off, and ironically, so was Victoire's. And if I take longer, they'll think it'll be alright to close up my shop and use it like a five-star hotel!"

From a seat next to her scarred husband, Fleur glared at her brother-in-law. "My daughter would never in 'er life do such a thing!"

George snorted. "Obviously you haven't heard the story of the violated archive room in the Auror Department."

Getting tired of the pointless discussion, Kingsley stepped next to Arthur and in a rough voice said, "Listen carefully, Aurors and Order members alike, because this information will not be repeated ever again." And the silence fell. "Listening to the recording that Auror Lupin took from his interrogation with Gregory Goyle, the Wizengamot reevaluated the sentence that had been given to him. As an Auror Department, we gave him five, but the Wizengamot gave him ten years."

Blaise looked up from his seat on the floor, not really acknowledging his wife but at the dark-haired Weasley that had been a fellow Slytherin and friend; both of them sharing some sort of discomfort at the mention of Goyle's sentence in Azkaban.

"Now, all of you know that the Wizengamot's word is final- -"The Minister continued. "But, after the Head Auror and I talked to the head council, we managed to shorten Mister Goyle's sentence to six years of prison, for his forced participation and cooperation with the Auror Department."

Expecting to hear some sort of protest from at least Ron and Pansy Weasley - because the latter had expressed deep desire to punish Goyle for his misleading participation in the kidnap of their daughter, Kingsley continued. "And, referring to Mister Goyle's case, the body of his wife, Pavarti Goyle née Patil, is assigned to be buried in the grounds of Hogwarts, along with all those war heroes. Any protests?"

Looking saddened in her hazel-eyes, Ginny shook her head as the rest remained silent. "No, Pavarti deserves to be buried there." She said in a gentle voice as Harry nodded slowly in agreement. "She was a member of the D.A, and she deserves the respect and admiration of her fight during the war, and the way she…died."

"After failing to find the whereabouts of Padama and her family, Mister Goyle has requested that his daughter be cremated, and her ashes spread around Australia, the place she knew as her home."

Feeling a knot in her throat, because even though she had hated Goyle for hours, Pansy had never wished him to lose his family the way he had. Not especially after he had traded his liberty for their safety, something only a real man, a father, and a husband would have done. (Because Salazar knows that if it ever came to it, Pansy would have no doubt committed unthinkable crimes to keep Ron and their children safe in a heartbeat. ) "What about the boy?" Her voice was low and unsteady. "Garrett, Goyle's son? What's to become of him after he leaves St. Mungos?"

Noticing that worry that only a mother can have sparkle in her dark-eyes, Mrs. Weasley decided to answer for her daughter-in-law. "As he was rescued from Malfoy Manor and the culprits, the boy was already registered as an orphan. And unless Padama is found, the boy is eligible for adoption seeing as his only living parent is unfit to take care of him."

And this time, Blaise looked at Cho; his sorrow and grief for his old friend's family spreading in his bright eyes.

"Now, in the matter of Aries Yaxley- -"And not letting the silence deepen, Mister Weasley continued. "As full accomplice to Tanya Rowle's blood-stained plans, he is sentenced to forty years in Azkaban prison, without a chance of parole; alongside his recruiters."

At that, no one said anything. Ron muttered a curse word, Pansy rolled her eyes, and George chuckled as the rest nodded.

"As tortured victim, forced and used in these accounts, Eliz Wilkes, cousin of Aries Yaxley, was released immediately after her interrogation with the Auror Department."

"- -I found no reason to hold her prisoner." Adding his own, Harry Potter cut across his father-in-law. "She was innocent, right from the start. She's just a girl trying to get on with her life, and that is what we decided to grant her. We're giving her full protection as she returns to Italy to continue on with her education. Though…."

"Though?" Pansy questioned. "Though what, Potter?"

The Chosen One shrugged. "She has asked permission to visit Garrett Goyle as much as she possibly can while he is in the hospital and after he is transferred to his designated orphanage."

"_Cute_." George snorted, looking down at his watch. "Are we about done here? Not that it hasn't been lovely, but peak-hour is about to start in Diagon Alley."

His mother scowled roughly. "Yes, George. That seems to be it."

"Great." The tall redhead clapped his hands, standing from his seat as he pressed a kiss to his wife's head who frowned at him too. "Unless you lot have anything else to say, I best be off- -"

"Well, since we are all here, _I _have something to say." Interrupting her brother-in-law's farewell, Pansy smirked as he scoffed at her. "Trust me, you'll want to hear this, Weasley."

George glared as Angelina brought him back down to his seat. "I doubt it." He grumbled.

Ignoring him, Pansy looked down at her husband's face; where Ron was already boring his eyes into hers with a questioning look on his face. "I…" She paused for a second, her hands shaking as her heart thumped. "I had an…."She shook her black hair, inhaling deeply. "I'm pregnant."

(Yeah, that would do it.)

Coughing like he had accidentally swallowed an entire mince pie, Ron bolted upright from the armchair, knocking Pansy out of the armrest in the process.

"Oi, watch it, Ron!" Bill had hissed at his brother, steadying Pansy before she tumbled to the floor. "She _is _pregnant!"

"But - But -But…."Ron kept coughing, spluttering every other words as his mother rushed towards his wife.

"Oh, my darling!" Molly cried, reeling her daughter-in-law into a tight embrace. "Oh, this is a blessing! Another grandchild!"

Grinning mockingly, Ginny also stood up from her seat as Angelina and Fleur made their way to Pansy. "Guess this is why you've been putting on weight, eh, Ron?"

"But - But - But." The redhead spluttered again as his best friend joined him to the side, clapping him hard on the back.

"Congrats, mate." Harry grinned. "You're going to have a baby."

And just as the congratulations was being passed around to a glowing Pansy and a chocked-up Ron, Blaise turned to his wife with a grand smirk and wiggle to his eyebrows.

"You're mad." Cho scoffed, shaking her head. "We are _not _having another child, Blaise. It took me a year to get my Quidditch-body back after I had Savanna. Absolutely not."

Zabini crossed his arms in an indignant way - he was never allowed any fun.

**X**

Exiting the dinning room with a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, he turned into the living room with his mind wondering off in every which way it wanted to. And just as he looked over the front page of the newspaper, his mind decided to settle on a recently new member of Azkaban prison. But right before he could let his memory wash over to that tape he had heard from the evidence room of the Auror Department, he noticed that the door at the end of the hall that lead to the backyard was open.

And hearing a few voices entering his home from the outside, Draco Malfoy settled his newspaper on the center-table of the living room , where a medical-potion and a cup of tea laid there; no doubt for him. But choosing to ignore the latter, he continued walking towards the open door as the voices began to clear themselves.

"…He's just seven, Katherine. What are we supposed to tell him?"

"The truth, John. The truth."

Carefully peeking through the glass sliding-door, Draco made sure that the figures on the either side of the grassy hedges that separated his house from the neighbors, could not see him eavesdropping.

And in that little gap, Draco managed to see the Bakers in their own backyard; both looking exhausted and tortured in their own way as they whispered to each other.

"He's the only child, Katherine." The muggle-man continued, staring at his wife with forced blankness. "Can you begin to imagine the torture that's going to be on him? He's just a child."

Through the sun that was gleaming up in the sky, rays of it highlighted the glittering tears that were accumulated in the woman's black-eyes; trying her hardest to keep them there and not let herself break. "…I know that. But, you have to understand, in the long run it's what's going to be best for Orlando, John. I can not…I can not have him grow up and watch me live full of resentment."

"_Resentment_?" Her husband repeated, staring at her with a bit of incredulity. "What can you possibly resent? I've given you only the best since we've married, I've worked my hardest for you and our son…How can you not be happy?"

Swallowing what had to be an emotional knot, the woman remained silent for a few seconds as her bottom lip trembled. "…I was only nineteen." And her voice quivered. "I didn't know anything of life, of myself, of what I was going to do with our relationship. And you know that…We were already breaking up when I found out I was pregnant…I….I had dreams.

"There was just so much I wanted to do, and you can not pretend that this was not forced upon us. We married because it was the right thing to do, because our parents were not accepting anything else from us. And….And you_ can't _base a marriage on that."

The muggle-man shook his head, taking one step closer to his wife as the sunrays made his matching coal-eyes glitter with tears. He reached for her hand, looking equally as tormented. "That's not true, Katy, I loved you." He squeezed her fingers. "….I still love you."

"But is that enough?" She asked in a murmur.

"- -I was seventeen, fresh out of Hogwarts, when I married your father." Interrupting Draco away from his view of the muggle-neighbors, his silver-eyes found the piercing blue of his mother's. "Arranged marriages were accustomed in the pureblood society, and I was not one to be left behind to uphold the values that my family wanted to keep alive with another pureblooded legacy."

Raising his eyebrow slightly, not knowing where exactly this was coming from, Draco continued to watch his mother stand by the center-table of the living room, looking thoughtful.

"All I got was a month - a month to get to know your father; to at least establish a friendship so our marriage could go smoothly." Narcissa Malfoy continued. "He was not an expressing man, as you know so very well, but I knew he cared for me. Even when I wasn't in love with him, he cared." She paused, taking an inhale of air. "But eventually, I did fall in love with him. And so, my mind began to ponder: had it been meant to be all along? Was our marriage just part of that?

"I had asked him the same questions my mind wondered one night; a night we happened to be tucking you in, you were about three. And as I asked him so, he looked down at you, this look glowing in his eyes that I had never seen him give anyone else…any one that wasn't me. He turned to me, and all Lucius said about the matter was, 'If there is one thing I am certain of, Cissy, it would be fate.' And I believed him."

Inhaling the same air, Draco could do nothing more than stare at his mother, nothing wanting to be said by him as her eyes glowed with memories.

"Your father made a lot of mistakes in his lifetime, Draco, but he knew that the things he loved were meant to be his, simply because he did not love everything around him. And _you_, I believe, inherited that from him." Smiling at her son, Narcissa bent slightly and picked up the copy of the _Daily Prophet_. "…Drink your potion, my son, Healer's orders."

With nothing else being said, Narcissa walked away from her son; heading towards the kitchen without another look and her words lingering in the air.

Blinking at the retreating figure, Draco turned towards the open door once more. Finding his neighbors gone from their backyard. But as the sun shone brightly, its rays pleasant as the air blew gently through the leaves, he began to walk down the pebbled pathway, heading towards a majestic-looking tree that Pansy had convinced him to grow for the children. (A failed attempt to build a muggle tree-house for all the children in the lot, but that he, nor Weasley or Potter ever got around to finish.)

'_Do I have to?' The sun was blazing in the sky, marking the hottest day of that summer as everyone seemed to be invading the Malfoys backyard for a certain celebration that a particular boy found no interest in. 'This is not even _my _party, I don't know why I'm being bombarded with this rubbish.'_

_Somewhere in the background, James Sirius Potter coughed a curse that emphasized his dislike for having to be involved as well._

_Looking away from the lens of the muggle-camera he was forced to buy incase any neighbor, from either sides of the house, decided to take a peek at all the hectic noise that was coming from the usually-quiet house, Draco frowned at his son. "It's for your grandparents, Scorpius.'_

_Returning the frown as Pansy Weasley made her way to him, already tugging at the collar of his casual-blazer, Scorpius scoffed to himself. 'Grandmother Narcissa has enough photographs to last her a lifetime, what difference is this one going to make?'_

'_Well, you're exceptionally whiny today, Scorpius.' Pansy had said to her best friend's recently turned fifteen year-old son. 'Reminds me of your father at this age, always complaining about one thing or another. But let me tell you something, boy, let it serve as a life lesson: sometimes in life, you're going to have to do things regardless, so just shut it and suck it up.'_

'_Yeah, Malfoy, let it serve as a life lesson.' Laughing at the expense of the blonde boy, Rose Weasley paced her way towards her mother and him; smirking as she looked extremely fresh in her Sunday-dress. 'Besides, with any luck, I hear that muggle-cameras tend to malfunction if the person being photographed is not attractive.'_

_Trying his hardest to control all that anger bubbling inside of him, Scorpius managed to pull on a smug grin as he shook off Pansy's hands away from his blazer. 'Well, then, Weasley, we mustn't take any pictures of you then with that muggle-contraption; it did cost a fortune.' _

_Rolling his eyes in annoyance as Rose stomped away from his son in a huff and Pansy went trailing after her, Draco shook his head at his son. 'Where's your sister in all of this, Scorpius?'_

_The boy shrugged, squinting his eyes from the shinning sun as he motioned for Angelo Zabini to bring him a glass of pumpkin juice. 'Lupin's off with her, no doubt. Something about changing her clothes before mum notices that he let her play in the mud.'_

'_I meant _Ariana_.' Draco sighed._

_Shrugging again, Scorpius took the glass from Zabini's hands as politely as he could muster in his frustration, the two taking a seat at the nearby table. 'You shouldn't have taken her off her leash. She's probably off in an adventure with that pack of dogs that come from the next block over.' _

'_Not as easy as it seems, eh, Malfoy- -' Appearing on his right, a famous bespectacled man took a drink from his own glass of pumpkin juice. 'The family photograph.'_

_Draco grunted._

'_It took us almost two hours to take one before we came here.' Harry Potter continued. 'Apparently Al thought it would be a laugh if he magicked James' shirt pink; therefore causing a fight mid flash.'_

_Ignoring his better judgment, Draco chuckled at that. 'I wondered why Albus had a black eye, but I later just assumed your wife got tired of punishing and decided to start beating the lot.'_

_Harry took another drink. 'Believe me, James is pushing her to that point.' He laughed silently himself, shaking his untidy black hair in the process. 'Would you have ever believed this, the having a family part?'_

_Looking down at the camera, pretending to adjust its settings, Draco sighed again to himself. '…I'm still wrapping my head around it.' He looked back up when his ears picked up a familiar voice; noticing two figures come out of the glass sliding-door from his home. _

_Hermione was adjusting Ariana's deep-purple dress as the girl attempted to fix her caramel-colored waves; the mother scolding the girl about the photograph her father had been waiting to take for the past twenty-minutes._

'_She looks beautiful.' Blinking like he was staring into a glowing star, Al Potter put a smile on his face as he pulled out a chair next to Angelo and Scorpius. _

_The Malfoys only son frowned, not saying anything as his best friend continued to stare in awe at his sister._

'_- -Alright, alright. Come on.' Hermione said to her daughter, turning to Scorpius and motioning to get up. 'The faster we take this photograph, the more I can enjoy this party.' _

_And at her hidden angry tone, Draco handed Potter the camera, huffing something of his own underneath his breath as Teddy came rushing out with Demi in his arms; the toddler cleaned off from any traces that she was looking for worms in the garden when her mother went inside for a few minutes. _

'_Remind me why we are here, dad?' James grunted to Harry as he walked over to him, scowling as the heat rained down on him. 'I did have important plans with Fred and Louis today, you know?'_

'_Flirting with the muggle-girls a couple of blocks away from here, James, is not considered important.' Harry said to his son, lifting the camera to his bespectacled eyes as the Malfoy family huddled together: Ariana and Scorpius, looking their best, held on to their little sister's hand as their parents stood behind them. All of them looking like a royal family. "Besides, this is history here, the fifteenth anniversary of Hermione and Draco Malfoy's wedding.' _

_Flash._

It was fifteen years of marriage, of a family that most likely would have never been his if the cards would have been dealt differently. He knows that, he's been knowing that for years now. That everything around him is like an optical-illusion, that his surroundings are like a projection of the most wildest of fantasies that could have ever crossed his mind.

It was like the walls of his home were fragile; if he were to bang his fist among it, would it crumble and fall? Would it show what his true reality was? That knocking down the home he had built with Hermione Granger, he would see himself how it was _truly _meant to be? Probably living a quieter life, probably addicted to Firewhiskey, and living a lonely life as he tried to still adjust to the new world that was left after the defeat of the Dark Lord?

What was this, fate or an illusion?

"I've always fancied coming out here to think- -" Lifting his head away from his knees a few centimeters, Draco saw a pair of feet, strapped into a pair of black heels, approach him; sinking the grass with the walk. "When my mum and dad died, I spent all night sitting underneath this tree." The person stopped in their walk. "You brought me a cloak, do you remember?"

Picking his head up a little more, squinting slightly from the glare of the sun, his eyes met the ones of his wife. "…I remember." He responded simply.

Lowering herself on the grass, still keeping her eyes focused into those of Draco's, Hermione sat herself in front of him. Their bodies only separated by their crossed knees. "How are you feeling?" She asked almost casually.

"Better." The blonde man replied in a flat tone.

She nodded, silence reigning for a few seconds.

"I saw the post on the kitchen table- -" He was the one to break it, his chest feeling odd as he spoke. "Our divorce papers have come in."

Taking a breath, Hermione blinked as she stared at him; her cheeks turning a pinky color from the feeble heat of the sun. "With Ariana's kidnap, with you…with you being in the hospital, I've forgotten all about that, actually." She said truthfully.

Draco crossed his arms over his raised kneecaps. "Do you think it's for the better?"

"What is?"

"Ending this marriage." said Draco straightforwardly, stunning his wife completely as her brown-eyes widened themselves. "….It seems that I'm always hurting you, in the worst ways possible."

Swallowing roughly, Hermione's nose-tip started burning. "You…you were b-bewitched, Draco." Her voice trembled. "It wasn't your intention to hurt me, it was that….it was that woman's fault not yours."

"Regardless of that, I still did it." He looked into her eyes, feeling his heart fall. "And you expected it from me, you believed it, Hermione. You were waiting for me to hurt you; you never fully trusted me again after what happened before we got married." He stopped, breathing in again. "This - us - we weren't meant to happen, ever."

She parted her lips and a puff of strangled air blew out, her brown curls shaking behind her shoulders as she did. "_Meant to be_?" She repeated in that huff. "What exactly do you think that 'meant to be' actually is, Draco?"

He said nothing, keeping his arms folded and his eyes on her as she turned pinker.

"What is it, Draco?" Hermione continued. "Was I supposed to end up living my life with Ron? Was I supposed to have lots of redheaded children? Was I supposed to be a _Weasley_?" The more she continued to speak, the more anger rose inside of Draco. Hurting him deeply as he could see it, the Weasel and her. _His _wife.

There was another short pause as she huffed, stood up, and Draco glared in anger, and followed her action.

"….There's a reason why the Ministry created that Marriage Law more than fifteen years ago." She stared into his eyes, the warm and cold colliding together. "There's a reason why, after being fully committed to erase myself from the Wizarding World, I could not." Her voice still shook, but she reached for Draco's hand; squeezing it as they stood a small distance from each other. "People that are meant to be together, that fate has brought together for one reason or another, ultimately end up together.

"And you - us, Draco, we _are _meant to be together. Because I am the happiest when I stare at my children, those Malfoy heirs to a pureblooded legacy that could have torn us apart before, but didn't. Because I am proud every time I stare into Ana's or Scorpius' silver-eyes, because I can't imagine another more beautiful inheritance you could have given them." A tear slipped from her brown-eyes. "….Because I love you, Draco. Don't you love me?"

He blinked, looking down at her hand clutching his. His head was spinning - going in circles as he tried to imagine their children gone, their home gone, those years they spent together gone. And it just seemed impossible. They were his. All of it.

They were meant to be his, right from the very beginning when the sorting hat had paired him with Granger. It had been written by destiny that all these beautiful outcomes be his, no one else's. (Especially not Weasley's.)

Blinking back up, Draco returned the squeeze. "I do love you, Hermione. More than anything imaginable."

And with a puff of a giggle, Hermione closed the distanced between her and Draco and kissed him; pressing her lips hungrily onto her husband's. Right where they belonged.

"I've got a surprise for you, Malfoy." She whispered to his lips as she removed her mouth from his a few seconds later.

Draco smirked, his heart racing as she grabbed his hand and started leading him towards the house.

"And it's not _that_, you troll." She added as his silver eyes glittered with smugness. "It's much better."

Furrowing his brows in confusion and a bit of irritation, Draco stepped into the living room of his home only to be blown away by what he saw; his mother holding hands with a little creature. With a little girl standing happily, her brown-eyes glowing in warmth like the woman she had inherited them from.

"….Demi."


	31. For All The Beautiful Things

**Chapter Thirty-One.**

She was waiting patiently, hiding inside the bathroom of the dormitory room until all the other occupants left. And when she heard the door close one last time and the voices of other girls die out, she slowly crept her way out; her bare feet touching the marbled ground with soft steps; leading her towards the enchanted mirror Ashley Kirke, one of her roommates, had left behind.

And as she reached the squared-cut glass hanging on the nearest wall, Ariana Malfoy took in a ragged inhale; her stomach a giant knot as silver-eyes reflected back at her.

It had been over a week since her return to Hogwarts, and it seemed like things could not have been going any better. She took her final exams, still laughed with her friends, and most of the students stopped whispering behind her back or impassively asking about what exactly happened that one Hogsmeade day. But even as time kept going on, knowing that things changed, Ariana still couldn't shake off the fact that she had reminders of the past still present. Always reminding her.

Looking into the mirror, Ariana saw a scar decorating her left temple; the now-healed cut of torture blemishing her beautiful face. And on her lip, another scar healed into an extra line on her mouth that had not been there a month before. Underneath her eyes, shadows of the nastiest shade of yellow, making it seem like she had developed some sort of illness instead of old bruises finally clearing up. And as she blinked at the reflection, she could see patches of skin that shown from her flowery-dress that were still burned, that still needed more than a couple of days to fix themselves.

She was all banged up, but like Madam Pomfrey had said, all of it would fade away in time, and if not, there were spells or potion remedies that would erase it for her. But sometimes at night, when Gryffindor Tower was completely silent, all the memories of how she got every cut, every burn still played in her head; traumatizing her of everything she had gone through. And that's when she wonders, is there a potion that can make her forget? A spell that can actually make her forget about _everything_?

Sighing into the mirror, watching her warm breath fog up the glass a bit, Ariana stared a little more into her reflection as she blinked away the memories. It made her feel disturbed - looking at herself with all the marks of Tanya Rowle's evil plot to destroy everything she loved and she understood a bit better why most people didn't really look at her anymore. And she knew it was for the same reasons why she refused to stare too much at a mirror, and that's because no one will ever be truly fine with a fourteen year-old taken as a hostage and tortured.

But she expects that her mother will wave her wand at her and obliterate those experiences from her skin, only leaving the ones inside her head that no one would ever be bothered by.

Squinting slightly into her reflection, noticing another scar that she hadn't seen before, the door to her dormitory opened softly; a pair of bright eyes staring at her from the doorway. "- -I never really pictured you as being vain, Ana."

Like a reflex, Ariana Malfoy pointed her wand at the mirror, making it disappear as she turned towards the door all in a second. She cleared her throat, crossing her arms over her chest as the bright eyes became more visible. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Yeah, but I haven't been much for rules before, have I?" James Potter shrugged casually, closing the door behind him with the same faintness as when he opened it. "Besides, that slip-and-slide method of keeping the boys out of the girls dormitories is rubbish. Did they not think of levitating spells?"

Tossing her wand onto the mattress of her four-poster, Ariana kept her arms crossed as she watched the Fifth Year Gryffindor carefully. "What do you want, Potter?"

"Can't a bloke just come and say a hello?"

"You had the chance about a week ago, at a much more appropriate time." She told him bluntly. "And this really isn't one, Potter."

James let out a noise that sounded almost like a mixture of a chuckle and a scoff. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Ana?" He winked at her, approaching her with light steps as he tried adding humor to the awkwardness. (He did ignore her since she came back after all, she deserved a few laughs.) "Besides, you were the center of attention for an entire week, and I sort of like to lay low."

"Piss off, will you." Ariana retorted, turning from him and heading towards the trunk that laid on the side of her bed. "I haven't finished packing, and I honestly don't want to listen to you." (Not to mention that she was not about to get caught by anyone with James Potter in her dormitory; she didn't need to end the term with a rumor like that.)

Knowing that he should have taken the irritation in her voice as a sign - because he had seen the Malfoy girl upset before - the eldest of the Potter sons approached the Third Year nonchalantly. His eyes solemn and his arms folded across his chest as he watched her silently fix her clothes inside her trunk for a few seconds. "…Did you like me?" Ariana looked up at his whisper, her brows furrowing at him instantly. "When we were together, did you like me?"

Staring at him like he had just announced that the Headmistress was dancing ballet on top of a table in the Great Hall, Ariana creased her forehead a little; puzzled about _why _this was even coming up. "You are aware that I'm with Al now, right?"

"Oh, I know. Trust me. He couldn't shut up about it when you were kidnapped." James grunted, leaning against the bed frame of her four-poster. "But talking about how my little brother stole my girlfriend isn't exactly what I want to discuss here."

Ariana frowned. "I'm not sure why we are discussing anything at all, actually." She huffed at him, dropping her school robes into her trunk. "…What exactly do you want from me?" She asked with more annoyance, not exactly looking at him. (All the emotions in the air made her feel especially uncomfortable.)

And feeling the same way about, well, feelings, James gritted his teeth a little as he rolled his eyes at the entire situation. He just didn't really know why he had asked Louis to help him up the slip-and-slide in the first place, but there had to be a subconscious reason. (He honestly never thought anything through.) "Alright, trying that whole honesty rubbish dad's always telling me I need to learn, you're aware that I have…feelings for Savanna, right?"

The fourteen year-old witch tried not to smirk or snort, so she settled on a simple nod; motioning for him to continue as she continued folding her clothes.

"I just…I just assumed that if she saw me with her best friend, then she'd grow jealous and admit that she fancied me as well." He cleared his throat. "And, well, that didn't necessarily go as planned."

"Mhm." Ariana copied his action. "She's been with Fred for about two weeks now, yeah?"

James felt his heart drop. "Again, not what I came here to discuss." (Because he was just not up to talking about how he has to grit his teeth every time he saw the witch of his dreams with his cousin.) "I'll just get to the point- -"

"Please do." Ariana said with a sigh, stopping her packing as she looked up at Potter with irritation.

James glared slightly at her, annoyed himself. (It's not like he was having a pleasant time either.) "…I just want to know what I did wrong."

Sighing again, Ariana waited a few moments to reply, especially because his question had been a rhetorical one. Because assuming he would get Savanna Zabini by being with _her _had to be one of the stupidest ideas that he had ever come up with, and she had been there when he tried taming a wild Hippogriff when he was seven. "You're just heartbroken, James." She spoke gently, knowing that this had to be the way to handle it. (Even if she wanted to gag.) "You need time to get over it, and, well, hopefully you'll find a girl that likes you in return."

James narrowed his hazel-eyes at her.

She let out a heavy exhale, scowling. "You're feeling a bit thrown off your game, right, Potter?" She didn't even wait for him answer or defend his swagger; she already knew what type of boy he was. "You're not an all that terrible bloke if that's what's gotten you in a funk." She took a deep breath, every word that came out of her mouth was the closest to being as open as she'd have ever gotten. "You're sweet, caring, obnoxiously funny - which I'm sure a girl will love at a point, and…" She let out a puff of air. "And you have the greatest ability to make someone feel better when they're down…And that's something that I…that I really appreciated, James."

Letting a small smile pull on the corners of his mouth, the Fifth Year Gryffindor extended his arm out towards the pretty witch; waiting for her to take his hand.

But the latter raised her eyebrow, not looking convinced or persuaded to reach for him.

And at that, James chuckled sincerely. "I might be slightly in…_like _with Savanna, but if I hadn't, I'm almost certain I would have been completely enthralled with you, Ana." He said genuinely, dropping his hand as he knew she was not going to take it. "Which, I sometimes think I kind of already was."

Ariana rolled her eyes, turning back towards her half-packed trunk.

"…I tease little Albus all the time, and that's never going to change, but…I am happy that he has you." He still grinned despite that she wasn't looking, taking the time to study the faded marks on her skin that he dared not to see while she looked.

Letting her caramel-colored waves cascade like curtains on the sides of her face, Ariana felt her cheeks flush as her lips formed a smile; taking her time to fold a sweater that Molly Weasley had knitted her for a Christmas ago. "I love him."

And even though her statement was supposed to be for her ears only, seeing as she whispered it like a secret, James was not going to let the chance pass to make fun of her. "Yeah, well, that's not a shocker. But just so you know, I _will _tell the guest at your wedding that I snogged you first. That would really tick my brother off, won't it?"

Immediately ending the sweet-yet-odd moment they shared, Ariana threw the sweater at him with a glower accompanying it. "Get out, Potter."

Laughing, James chucked the navy-blue sweater back, and headed towards the door with his palms up in surrender. "Alright, I'm leaving - but not because you so rudely demanded it, but because Alice Longbottom is waiting for me in a broomstick closet."

"Pig." She snapped at him, closing her trunk shut as he laughed loudly by the doorway.

"Can't help it, darling- -"James called mockingly as he went out the door. "See you on the train!"

**X**

Almost like déjà vu, a blonde teenage boy stepped into the dinning room of his home like a memory from not that long ago, back when the outsides were filled with snow. He walked into a celebration, his home decorated in colors that he never wants to see in his life again; his ears being invaded by all types of conversations and noises invaders of his home were making.

They all sat in a large table, the usually-small room expanded with magic so the numerous people could fit comfortably. Over the wooden table laid a decorative tablecloth of pink with green leaves designed like stamps on it; the plates layered pink; green; pink. The goblets on the sides of the plates were a faded lime-green; pink flower petals of glass decorating the rims. And next to the green silverware, napkins shaped as blooming flowers sat next to them. All the while see-through pink butterflies floated around the dinning room to add with the nauseating girly colors; fluttering their wings exquisitely.

It was safe to say that it indeed was a little girl's birthday party - Demetria Malfoy's to be exact.

"- -You know, when I was a little girl, I never really had such a colorful birthday party." Appearing next to him as the rest of the guest talked among each other, dinner already done with, a dark-haired girl smiled sweetly at Scorpius. "I suppose it's mum's taste, she's always up for that elegant and statuesque sort of feel."

Feeling a little jitter flicker through his chest as he stared at Lana McLaggen's deep emerald eyes, the blonde tried to return the smile. "Thanks for coming, Lana." Was all he had to say.

But not quite wanting to end the conversation with her ex, Lana held on to that smile. "I was a bit surprised that I was invited actually, but the first week of the summer holidays are always slow for me. I was glad I had something to do."

Scorpius nodded once. "Yeah, well, I suppose Weasley had a lot to do with that." He said directly, aiming a glance at the blonde-Weasley that had stopped paying attention to whatever Fred was saying as soon as Lana had walked over to him; jealousy washing over his features. "When did you two become an item?"

"We're not." Lana's smiled deflated a little, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Yet, at least." She also added as she too caught sight of Louis. "You can say we are dating…It's been quite fun actually."

And catching on to that sparkle of awkwardness in the witch's eyes, Scorpius groaned internally as he felt his conscience poking at the sides of his head; demanding for it to come out and play for a while. "Lana, look, I know that we- -"

"- -Stop." Raising a palm towards him, Lana's sweet smile glowed again; the look in her eyes disappearing instantly. "You don't have to say it, Scorpius, honestly." She laughed kindly, placing that hand on his arm, clutching it gently. "Just remember, I'm your friend and I care for you. Always."

Sealing his lips tight, Scorpius refrained himself from telling the girl the same thing. Because he _wanted _to say it, he wanted to tell her he cared for her too, but when she ended their relationship, he wasn't very nice about it. Which in reality, he wasn't very much anything about it. He let her walk away, tears rolling down her cheeks as she reestablished that he just did not feel that way about her; and then he proceeded not to talk to her for what was left of the year. (Needless to say, he was a downright git and he did not deserve her friendship.)

But that was the beauty of Lana McLaggen he guessed, the fact that she made him feel something even when he didn't want to. So he was positive she would always be there, just like she promised. And even if he hadn't said the same in return, even as she squeezed his arm and smiled again, as she walked towards Louis who looked chipper as she did, he knew that she knew.

Because Lana seemed to know everything about him, even when he never dared nor had ever said it to anyone.

And just as Fred stood from his chair, deciding to leave his cousin alone with his conquest, Malfoy got a good view of his best friend and his sister; the two at the furthest end of the long table, hands hidden underneath the tablecloth.

"…Dad's been giving me the eye since I sat next to you." Al whispered to Ariana, looking nervously around for any eavesdroppers, not noticing that at the furthest corner two blondes stared at him seriously. "I think he knows - I think _my mum _knows."

Smirking lightly, Ariana tried not to laugh at the youngest of the Potter sons. "Well, have you ever thought that maybe Lily or James told them?" Al cursed not saying anything, so she continued. "I doubt Lily would, but James, mind you, would sell you out for a sickle."

Swallowing roughly, Al shook his head. "I don't even know why it would be a big deal, you know? It's not like no one saw it coming, but they are making it seem like we are snogging on top of the table."

At that Ariana frowned, blushing a little. "Perhaps you are just being paranoid." She told him. "Perhaps no one actually really cares, so why should we?"

Al gave a firm nod. "True, true. We need to come out, let them know we love each other."

"Right." Ariana agreed, looking slightly embarrassed. (It was going to take her a massive amount of courage to ever tell him that she loved him, but she was glad he _knew _it and didn't need her to say it on the spot.) "…So." Taking a breath, adding to the nervousness he had by being dramatic, Ariana slowly lifted their holding-hands on top of the pink-covered table.

Nodding once again, but to himself, Al took in a deep puff of air as he looked around at the table; attempting to look brave and at ease with his relationship with Ariana Malfoy on the table for everyone to see. (Literally.)

But just as Ginny Potter turned to the person next to her, getting a good view of her youngest son, Albus turned red and dropped their hands back underneath the table. "Bloody hell, she saw. _She saw_."

This time not being able to help herself, Ariana laughed; her giggles echoing off the walls and making people turn towards her with her enchanting laughter.

"Ana, darling, what is it?" Narcissa Malfoy asked her granddaughter, looking intrigued as everyone else had. (Because it was rare when anyone got to see Ariana laugh so wholeheartedly.)

But his sister's response to their grandmother was sounded out as he heard someone speak lowly next to him; taking his attention away. "- -Can he be trusted?"

Looking up, Scorpius locked eyes with the man that had passed him down the silver in them. He contemplated his answer for a second, wanting to say it as clear as possible so that he never had to get into it ever again. "I trust him with my life."

"But can he be trusted with your sister's heart?" Draco asked carefully, his expression somber.

"…That's what I meant by it." He replied quietly as he stared at that ease and acceptance on his father's face over Ariana's obvious relationship with Harry Potter's son. And because of that, Scorpius couldn't help but to finally understand what everything was about.

Love.

It was what everything came back to, _love_. It was the feeling that moved the world, that could transform any life, that could save any soul, that could make any heart grow. And when the moment came that you had it, you held on to it like it was the universe most precious jewel, and it was the one thing that everyone had to accept. Because it's true. Because the love that can exist within a group of people, that could live between two, had to be acknowledged as pure.

So, the only thing left to fully comprehend, was _why _had he spent years running from it.

And almost like a signal that had gone off inside his home, on the other entrance inside the dinning room, Scorpius spotted a redheaded witch walking inside alongside a brunette woman with a little blonde girl glued to her hand.

Rose Weasley, the redheaded girl he had been avoiding ever since he told her those three words.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Scorpius distracted himself from the redhead for a second. "Your grandfather once said that if there was anything that he was certain of, it was fate. Because he did not love everything, so he knew that what he did was meant to be his."

Scorpius narrowed his eyes, nodding a single nod as his father dropped his hand from his shoulder with a smile.

"Keep that in mind." Was what Draco Malfoy said next, walking over towards the brunette woman and that little blonde girl; his wife and recently turned three year-old daughter.

"It seems like the Bakers have an excellent memory- -"Hermione told her husband as he approached, kneeling in front of their daughter as she waved the birthday-bag the neighbors gave to her. "It was a sort of a welcome-back and birthday gift from their part. They wanted to give it to her before they departed on their family vacation."

Tracing the back of his fingers lightly over the girl's right cheek, Draco smiled more largely. ( A little secret sparkle to his eye at the mention of the neighbors.) "Did you say thank you, Demi?"

Demetria nodded, waving the bag again.

"It's a white dress." Hermione informed Draco and those that were listening in. "It's quite beautiful actually."

"_Mine_." Demi said to her parents. "Like the one with g-granddad." She stuttered, clearly capable to speak with intelligence. (Though it took a bit, she was three after all.)

Raising an eyebrow, Hermione knelt beside her daughter just as her husband had; the latter inspecting the girl warily. "No, sweetie." She spoke with a little confusion. "This dress is new."

Demi shook her blonde curls, her brown-eyes that she had gotten from her mother looking firm and honest. "Granddad saw it, it's o-old." She continued stubbornly. "H-He saw it t-too." And then she pointed a finger, the attention moving to George Weasley who had been sharing a second bottle of Firewhiskey with Blaise Zabini at the middle of the table.

"I what?" He asked. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dem, but my mind does not pay attention to that sort of rubbish. Just ask your Auntie Angelina, I always get smacked for it."

Again, Demi shook her head, but this time with a little confusion on her part too. "It was F-Fred." By that time, the entire table had gone silent; everyone staring at the youngest Malfoy with alarm. "Ted…Teddy's mummy saw it too. Ask." She told them.

Even more silence, Ginny putting a hand on her adoptive son's shoulder, the blue-haired wizard staring at Demetria with wide eyes.

She crossed her little arms, letting her mother take the bag from her. "And Si…Si…Sirius." She added with difficulty, frowning as she remembered the curly-haired man; so rude he had been to her in that place. But just as she remembered that, another memory sparked up inside her head, a head that had been lost back and forth between the middle of life and the afterlife. "Daddy, you were there. T-Tell them."

And just as Hermione took out the puffy white dress from the gift bag, Scorpius took the opportunity of everyone's distraction to head towards Rose; grabbing her by the arm and leading her out the dinning room as she barely registered who took her away from the jaw-dropping comments the birthday girl was making.

"- -_Ow_." As she was brusquely thrown out the door, one that led towards the front yard of the house, Rose Weasley felt an uneasiness crossing her features as she noticed who it was.

Silence - the two looking at each other like they had just confessed their dirtiest secret to one another. There was anxiousness mixing into the already present discomfort in their faces, a few inches separating them as a muggle-woman passed by with her dog on the sidewalk.

"Three weeks." Rose muttered awkwardly, coughing for the hell of it as she refused to be in that bizarre silence with the blonde boy.

But at that, Scorpius raised his eyebrow. "Three weeks?" He repeated.

The redheaded girl nodded slowly, keeping her mouth shut while another muggle passed by the outside fence. "Since you've talked to me." She spoke again, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "When you told me…_that_."

Having an urge to smirk and roll his eyes, Malfoy settled for his usual blankness. "When I told you I loved you." He stated.

Rose's brown-eyes sparkled with hurt, her pale arms crossing over one another. "You've said things to me before, Malfoy, and even done horrible things to me…but I never thought you'd go that far."

"What are you on about, Weasley?" Scorpius frowned, noticing that now her eyes held tears.

"For two years I've been trying to play it off like I don't have feelings for you, Malfoy- -"And the redhead began, her voice an octave too high. "And for the most part I think I've fooled everyone pretty well…Everyone except for you, right?

"…You always knew, I know you did. That's why you never bought my relationship with Damien McLaggen….That's why…that's why you constantly tore me down, because you knew." She took a deep breath, waiting for a second. "And even though I knew you wouldn't…_feel _the same, I knew you weren't that nasty; not cold enough to taunt me about it…But telling me that you love me, Malfoy…that was beyond cruel."

"You think this is a joke, Weasley?" Scorpius snapped, looking incredulous at her as she wiped away a tear that traced down her right cheek. (Figures, he never got any trust.)

Looking up at him with her pained gaze, Rose chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before answering; trying to keep down a cry. Because ever since he had said those three words to her her defenses had gone down, and now she no longer knew how to be around him without her heart hurting. "…_Yeah_." Her voice shook. "What else could it be?"

Feeling a swirl of different thoughts - some disbelieving, others telling him to hex her, a few telling him to run and ignore her for the rest of his life, there was one particular voice inside his head that was heard beyond all others.

A voice he had been trying to silence for some time now. How long, he didn't know, but he knew that it had been a while. And now it was time for him to finally listen to it. To finally stop being so…_afraid_.

"It's what I…feel inside." Uncharacteristically, Scorpius' voice came out soft; quiet. "That's what it is." Hesitantly, he reached for her crossed arms, unfolding one of them and taking her hand with a shaky grip. "…You're right, I knew all along."

The redhead pressed her lips together into a line, looking in disbelief.

"And you knew…_you _knew that I was running from you." He squeezed one of her fingers, everything in his being telling him to zip it and leave before he opened his heart to her. "And you knew that one day I would stop."

Another tear fell from her, but this time she didn't wipe it away. "…Why now?" She asked. "_Why_?"

Swallowing down his fleeting measures of protection, he told her the truth. "Because I'm not scared anymore, Rose." _Bang, bang_, his heart screamed inside his chest. "Because it's time for everyone…for you to know how I truly feel when you're around…How sincere that feeling is, how much better _I_ feel than when you're not around me."

Rose heaved out a puff of air, her red hair flowing backwards as the summer air blew between them. "Unbelievable." But she squeezed his fingers in return.

And having had always had the duty to challenge anything that Rose Weasley had to say, Scorpius decided to dispute that. "Believe this, Weasley."

And just before she could roll her eyes, she found that he was kissing her. _Her _out of all people!

Her, for the very first time; her, with a gentleness he had never expressed before; her, with so much emotion he had to grip her by the waist; her, with such a touch that he had never given her; her, with all the sincerity of his previous words; her, with all the love they had been hiding from one another.

Her, his. Theirs, them.

Just them - Rose and Scorpius.

_Finally._

**X**

"- -Well, if I may say, that was by far the best birthday party." With the last flick of her wand, sending the chairs back to their original place, Andromeda Tonks turned to face her sister with a smile. "And that's including your seventeenth birthday party, Cissy. I swore the entire Wizarding World attended that night."

Not bothering to correct her sister that the party she was thinking of was, in fact, their older sister's, Bellatrix. But Narcissa Malfoy continued making the few butterflies still left fade away with the moonlight coming in from the open window. "She deserves it, Demetria. Three years-old now and the poor child has gone through more than any child at her age has."

Andromeda nod with a sigh. "She is healthy now, Cissy, and that is what matters." She told her sister confidently, knowing that it's what she needed to hear. "She'll continue on with life just as she should have before the attack."

Looking out towards the open muggle-night, Narcissa stared at the giant moon faraway, dazzled for a second by the bright stars. "I hope so, 'Dromeda." And blinking away the night sky from her vision, Mrs. Malfoy shut the window and faced her sister. "…What do you think that bit was? About her insisting that the dress had already been hers?"

"And that Lucius saw it?" Andromeda completed, noticing that that was what Narcissa wanted to bring up. "And my Dora, as well?" Her voice was soft, but it was filled with understanding. "I'm not much of an expert, Cissy, but Demi did _die _for a few minutes…and that can only mean one thing."

Watching as her only sibling picked up her cloak from the table, Narcissa voiced what Andromeda had left unheard. "She saw them." And her heart leaped in her chest with faith. "Lucius, Nymphadora, and Sirius." (Their family, their blood.)

The eldest of the last remaining Black sisters nodded once. "And Fred Weasley apparently." She gave an offhanded grin. "Poor Molly, that really affected her. Not to mention George himself."

"But Demetria is just a child, 'Dromeda, she wouldn't lie." Mrs. Malfoy defended.

And after she secured the cloak over her shoulders, her wand tightly in hand, Andromeda looked calmly at Narcissa. "And they know that. It's just…_comforting _to know that our dead are perfectly fine."

The blonde woman's eyes lit up with tears, happy ones. "Good night, Andromeda." Was what she responded to that.

"Tea tomorrow, Cissy, do not forget." Mrs. Tonks replied before the _crack _of her apparation echoed around the dinning room.

"_Nox_." Wiping away those fallen teardrops after turning off the lights of the dinning room, Narcissa headed towards her room. Laughing gently to herself about everything, about the irony of it all.

It was amazing how in the course of a few months a lot could happen; all good and bad. Reestablishing the point that not everything is constant, that nothing ever stays the same - not even life itself.

She had lost her husband months back, and that was perhaps the biggest impacting change that had turned her life around; sending her down a different path that she had not envisioned before. (Because if there ever came a time to dwell about death, Narcissa was sure she would die at the same time Lucius would.) And now her life wasn't exactly how she imagined it, but she realized a few important things from her grief, from her worry, from her hurt. And that was that time, which changes all people, does not alter the memory of the loved ones, and that love lives on and on.

So moving on was unavoidable, changing was unavoidable. Because without it, even if they suffered or rejoiced over it, they would all be stuck in the same routine; and something's _needed _the push of time to sprout, to impact a person's life for the better.

And just before she could head towards the staircase, Narcissa stopped her thoughts for a few seconds as she saw a scene that made her heart melt; her soul flutter as a proud woman.

A proud mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law.

Sleeping peacefully, all surprising and beautiful in its way, Mrs. Malfoy felt pure joy as she witnessed her family all sprawled throughout the living room: Leaning on an armchair that was packed with birthday gifts, Scorpius and Ariana slept sitting on the carpeted floor; Ariana with her head on her brother's shoulder, and him with his chin rested upon her head. The most interacting Narcissa had ever seen them before.

And on top of her older siblings stretched out legs, Demetria laid perfectly straight on their laps. One of her little hands holding on to Scorpius', all while Ana's fingers rested buried between Demi's blonde curls.

Looking up from the floor of the living room, Narcissa spotted her son and daughter-in-law fast asleep on the couch; Draco hugging Hermione into him as they both faced the same direction. Both probably fell asleep watching their children dream together, knowing themselves that had to be a first.

And witnessing that, being able to _feel _the love radiate from her family's sleeping bodies, Narcissa knew that there could not be any selfishness in her chest. Because if things had not gone the way they were meant to, if people had not gone from the world the way they had, if situations had not almost torn Draco's family apart, none of them would be there. None of them would have learned exactly how much they needed each other to survive.

Scorpius wouldn't have seen how easy it was to let his love out; Ariana wouldn't have taken a chance to attempt to express herself; Demi would not have been the link that kept her family together; and Draco nor Hermione would have been able to experience how much their love could endure, and how powerful it was.

"…_Fate is certain_." Narcissa whispered to herself, walking towards the staircase as she remembered the memory of Lucius' words.

But just before she could step onto the first step, she noticed something rolled into a ball behind the couch - Blaise Zabini snoring like a kitten, a half-empty bottle of Firewhiskey clutched onto his hands as he slept in just his boxers.

Shaking her head, Narcissa waved her wand behind her as she proceeded towards her room without a look back.

Change was good, but some things always remained the same.

The End.

* * *

** AN: Yay!**

**Well there you have it, guys. The end of this story. I think, if I am allowed to say, that it ended on a good note, right?**

**...Right?**

**I just want to tell you that I am VERY grateful that you all stuck through this story, even the first, and gave me such amazing feedback. You are all the BEST readers ever! (:**

**Now, if there's anything regarding this story that you would want me to explain or to write as a "missing moment" or something, please let me know. **


	32. Epilogue: Stay Beautiful

**Epilogue **

Through the highest window overlooking a scene that was a little too familiar, that was like a warm memory tickling down her spine and flashing inside her veins, she watched with a little nostalgia at every movement that happened below.

Her brilliant mind pondering over the never-ending subject of fate, of destiny; and how nothing that was going on could have happened if it wasn't for a law that brought them all together more than fifteen years ago.

"- -Oi, oi!" Exiting the backdoor of the house, Angelo Zabini marched heatedly towards a couple a few yards away; two little figures following after his steps. "What do you think you are doing, mate?"

Furrowing his brows, Fred Weasley looked between the apparently-angered boy and the girl rolling her bright green-eyes. "I was just helping her- -"

"Oh, I'm sure you were." Zabini snapped at the redhead, interrupting him. But quickly sensing the daggers being thrown at him by the witch next to Weasley, Angelo turned his glare at her. "And you - isn't there a room inside the bloody house that you can change in?"

"The zipper of my dress wasn't fully up, Angelo, and Fred was just helping me." Savanna hissed, crossing her arms over her chest as her brother snorted. "Besides, if I wanted to take off my dress and expose myself to Fred, I _would _do it somewhere more privately, don't you think?"

And at that comment, both brother and boyfriend to Savanna looked equally taken aback from it.

"I…erm." Weasley coughed, clearing his throat and taking a step back as Zabini's tanned cheeks started turning red from bubbled outraged.

"Are you running your manky fingers over my sister, Weasel?" And having the guts to take a step closer to the older boy, Zabini made sure the redhead could see his fingers twitching to grab his wand. "Because if you are, I will make sure - -"

"- -Angelo, you dropped your wand in the dinning room." Exiting out the backdoor Zabini had stormed out of, Molly Weasley II marched over to him; twirling his wand between her fingers like if it were a baton. "Got to be a little more careful, sweetie."

"_Sweetie_." Fred chuckled mockingly, repeating the little pet-name his cousin had just thrown at Zabini; forgetting all about the 'anger' the Slytherin had been feeling a second ago. Which was good for him, because he did not need Angelo making a spectacle out of that. Especially since his Grandmum was hanging about somewhere, and she had already gone mental when someone had let it slip that Victorie and Teddy showered together. (Something that James and him had or hadn't made up the moment Lupin refused to share the Firewhiskey.)

"Shut it." Zabini retorted, his fingers enlacing themselves with Molly's. "I've overheard Savanna's gushy conversations about you - _Pumpkinpop_."

At that, Fred felt his ears turn red as he silenced himself instantly; throwing a complaining look at his girlfriend. "_Sav_."

And just as she was about to make amends for herself - because she does remember acting like a head-over-heels witch when her Grandmother Chang asked her about her boyfriend - Savanna noticed her parents enter the garden, her mother looking especially infuriated.

"Oh, there you are."

"Here I am, mummy."

Narrowing her eyes at Angelo, Cho walked past him to the two small figures sitting on the grass; half paying attention to the teenagers and half playing with the ladybugs on the blades of grass. "Didn't I tell you to take care of him, Angelo?" She scowled, bending down and grabbing the boy and dusting him off from the grass.

At the frustration in his mother's eyes, Angelo hid behind his redheaded almost-girlfriend. (They were dating at this point, Angelo wasn't sure if the relationship thing was for him. He really was a bachelor and needed to keep his options open.) "Demi was taking care of him."

"She's three, Angelo!"

"And he's six, mum!"

"- -And that's a custom-made suit!" Interrupting both wife and son, Blaise took out a silk-handkerchief and leaned down to the little dark-haired boy; dusting him off. "Now, listen here, Garret. I don't know what rags your father had you wearing, but as an honorary-member to the Zabini-family, I suggest you take better care of your clothing. We are constantly being photographed, we're like royalty here."

"Of course you are, Zabini- -"Walking behind the tanned-man, George Weasley took a swig of his cup. (Which was mostly liked filled with liquor than bubble-juice.) "And I'm the Queen of England."

"You keep drinking more of that, and you'll act like it later, dad." Fred spoke, looking disapprovingly at his father. "Mum warned you."

"Hush, hush, boy." George rolled his eyes, turning back to the Zabini couple. "But really, mates, that's a very generous thing you two did. Taking in Goyle's little lad, warms my heart."

Smiling sympathetically as Garret Goyle put his head down, no doubt some kind of wretched emotion passing through his chest at the mention of his father, adding to a confusion of why he wasn't with him, why his mummy was gone, why his older sister was not around to boss him around could phase him, Cho put her hand gently on top of his head. "He needs a family."

Savanna and Angelo smiled too, both staring at the little boy with affection as their father nodded along in agreement with their mother.

"I've always wanted a son, you know. Someone to make me proud."

Angelo's smile wiped off. "Oi, I'm standing right here, dad."

"Exactly." Blaise snapped at him in return as George and the other two Weasleys walked away from his family. "You're standing right there, Angie, and you did not pull the boy away from the dirt? That's dragon-skin, that is! Hand-wash only, crippled-wizard made, one of a kind."

"_Angie_." Savanna snickered mockingly, picking up Demi Malfoy from the floor, who hadn't been watching the interaction; interested more in the little flying insects on the grass. "Come on, Dem, let's get you cleaned up before someone else throws a fuss."

Just as they took her away from her ladybug-friend, Demi looked past from Savanna's shoulder and waved her little palm up to the person looking out from the tallest window. A smile on both their faces.

"- -Oh, come on, just tell me, Pans."

Tearing his eyes away for a quick second as the Zabini-girl dragged his little sister up the staircase, asking the three year-old what's with her fascination with bugs, which then led to Dawn Thomas chasing after them, suggesting that perhaps Demi would end up a naturalist, Scorpius Malfoy leaned against the doorframe of the living room. Watching carefully as Mister Weasley stalked behind his wife and his mother, demanding an answer that Pansy had refused to give him for a month now.

"I said _no_, Ronald." His wife retorted, spinning on her heels before her mother-in-law helped her onto the couch. "Now, shut it before I curse you back four months when you did this to me."

Knitting his eyebrows a little, sharing a slightly disgusted look with Dean Thomas, the Chosen One cleared his throat to get his two-cents in. "Um, Pansy?"

"What, Potter?" The latter snapped, throwing herself onto the open seat, face sweaty and angry-looking.

But deciding against his next comment, because he saw Scorpius eyeing all the adults carefully, Harry turned away from his best friend's wife, and throw him a sympathetic look. (It was not the time to be impudent with kids around.)

"If you would just tell me I'd have an idea of what to buy, Pans. Come on." Ron begged again, remaining determined. "Besides, you told Ginny! That doesn't make it a secret, it's just cruel now."

"Yeah, but she likes me." Snickering as she entered the living room, looking smug, Mrs. Potter released the hand of her youngest child; holding her still for a second as she adjusted the bow on her head.

Ron frowned. "Well, she liked me when I helped put that baby in her belly."

"That's precisely why she doesn't like you now, Ron." Ginny replied, shrugging. "You're the reason why she will ending up putting on twenty pounds, and breast-feeding for a few months. All that will require a nasty-tasting potion to get rid of once the baby can feed regularly."

Pansy scowled harder from her seat, her mother-in-law patting her shoulder gently. (If anyone knew about the downside of baring children, it would be Molly Weasley. She brought seven to the world.) "I have a double-chin, now, Weasley. Parkinsons do _not _get fat, this is all your fault!"

"All your fault." Ginny repeated to her brother, smiling as Lily wormed her way out of her hold.

And just before his niece escaped towards the staircase and away from the torture that was being a girl, Ron managed to pull off the bow that had taken Ginny ages to perfect on Lily's red hair. "I just want to prepared here, that's all." He explained, frowning again. "If it's a boy, I will be thrilled, maybe I can get things right, because all of you know how bizarre Peyton is- -"

"My son is not bizarre, Weasley." Pansy hissed.

Ron rolled his eyes at that because, honestly, who knew anything about what Peyton did? "Or if it happened to be a girl, I'm going to need time to adjust to that too. You know how hard it has been for me to….."

Just as the redheaded man trailed off, his eyes flickering towards the door, where a blonde leaned against the wall, his gaze lit up with what could be assumed as a grudging anger.

Scorpius smirked at the man, not being able to help himself. (It was just going to take longer now for Mister Weasley to accept him, especially since the day he found out the truth.)

'_- -Ron, Ron, no. Your niece is here, stop it.'_

_Peeking an eye through the thin crack left open by her bedroom door, Rose watched carefully, and a little sickened, as her mother slapped her father's hands away from her waist. _

'_Oh, who cares. I'm sure Lily has seen worse things.' Ron scoffed. 'Besides, she's with Peyton and Luna's daughter, what's-her-name. They'll be entertained for hours.'_

_Being able to see the shake of head her mother gave, Rose stood silent as the woman spoke again. 'Fine, but you have to come with me to visit my parents. I'm telling my mother about my unexpected, but blessed, pregnancy to the Blood-Traitor they have yet to accept after sixteen years of marriage .'_

_Taking a step back from his wife, Ron looked down at the watch his mother had given him years back. 'Oh, well, thanks for the offer, Pans, but I've got a meeting at the Ministry in a few hours. Can't miss it, can I? Duty calls. I'm sorry, love.'_

_And as her mother cursed her father, the two heading down the hall and away from her room, Rose closed the door quietly. '….That can only lead to disaster.'_

_A chuckle broke behind her, so taunting._

_Rose crossed her arms over her chest, frowning as she turned away from the door. 'You could have just said you were coming over, you know? You didn't have to use my cousin and Dawn to sneak your way in.'_

_Sitting on the chair of her vanity, a blonde boy with enchanting silver-eyes smirked devilishly back at her comment. 'Where's the thrill in that, Weasley?'_

_Rose rolled her eyes, her back still pressed on the surface of her door._

'What_?' His smirk disappeared, frowning at the girl. 'What did I do now?'_

'_I wouldn't have enough time to explain that to you, Malfoy.'_

_And this time, Scorpius rolled his eyes. 'Whatever.' He said to her, watching as the redheaded girl walked towards her bed, sitting herself at the edge of it. _

'_You know, if we just told him we're together then this wouldn't be a problem.' Rose said after a few moments of silence. 'Call me naive and all, but I don't really lying to my parents.'_

_Spinning slowly in the chair, just to get a better look at Rose, Scorpius looked as solemn as he could get. 'Telling your father is not the best idea, Weasley. He'd go mental and make a skeptical out of it, you know that.' He watched her frown at his comment. 'Besides, we're not even together. We are dating.'_

_At that, Rose frowned harder, her freckly face almost turning a shade of vibrant red like the color of her hair. _

_Rolling his eyes again - this time to himself rather than at her - because he was just never going to get this thing fully right, Scorpius picked himself off from her chair. Walking towards her with a little hesitance. (He just didn't like apologizing.) 'Alright, how about we tell your mum, yeah? That way her parents can ease up on her about having another child with 'Blood Traitor Weasley.' Mind you, I _am _a Malfoy.'_

'_You're a half-blood, git.' Rose snapped, scooting a little to the left to make room for him next to her. '…Just forget it.' She whispered a little after, crossing her arms again._

_Scorpius grimaced despite his nature to always remain cool and indifferent. (Yeah, it was a safe argument to say he had no clue how to handle this.) _

_But just looking at her tapping her foot on the wooden-flooring of her bedroom, her arms crossed in annoyance, her beautiful face holding irritation that did not suit her, Scorpius couldn't help but to feel a little bad. Well, more than he would have wanted. He did like her after all - well liked her more than what he would have wanted. (And that there was surely _not _his fault, his heart is the one who played dirty there.)_

_So grunting to himself, Scorpius reached for Rose's hand, uncrossing her arms. And with a swift but soft trace of his thumb over her knuckles, he whispered something quietly to her. '…When the right moment comes, we'll tell both of our families, alright? Promise.'_

_Rose stopped tapping her foot, turning in a small angle to raise her eyebrow at the blonde boy._

_Scorpius grinned a little at the stubbornness on the redhead's face. 'I'll tell them that you're my girlfriend and that I love you.'_

_Letting the scowl on her face dissolve into a smug smile, Rose squeezed Scorpius' hand in return. Her heart pounding inside her chest like a magicked drum. 'That wasn't so hard was it?'_

_Malfoy frowned, his grin withering. 'Don't get cocky with me, Weasley.'_

_The witch laughed happily, pushing him on his back as she jumped onto him; a glee so immense running through her blood stream at the close encounter. She had been dreaming forever to be so close with Scorpius, to have him hold her, to have him love her, and to have him kiss her. And wanting that glorious sensation of his passionate lips, Rose leaned herself closer to him. Capturing his mouth with hers, their lips moving together._

'_Guess what, Rosie? You're going for tea at your Grandmother Parkinson's- -' And just before the rest of the sentence could be completed, just before Scorpius could clutch onto Rose's waist, just before Rose could snake her fingers through Scorpius' hair, the door to her bedroom banged open. In coming a redheaded man that looked like he had just stumbled on the Dark Lord having a romantic date with Dumbledore._

'Dad_!' Rose squeaked, rolling of Malfoy's body and landing on the floor from her sudden shock. _

_Ron Weasley gaped, a vein pulsing on the side of his forehead as his face started growing redder and redder. ' You - Malfoy - Him - Rosie, _no_!'_

'_Well, I'll excuse myself now- -' Scorpius cleared his throat, standing up from Rose's bed and adjusting his clothes casually. 'The Floo is downstairs, right?' _

_Ron opened his mouth, incoherent blabber coming out as he watched shockingly, so frozen as the Malfoy-boy helped his daughter off the floor; and then dared to give her a peck. (_A peck! On the mouth_!) _

_And right as he was about to pass the gaping-man, Scorpius stopped for a quick second before slithering his way out of the bedroom. 'Oh, and before your daughter murders me via letter later, I think you ought to know, Mister Weasley, that we're together now.'_

_The redhead's man eyes practically popped out._

_Scorpius leered at the sight, feeling accomplished as Rose grinned. (Maybe this would work out after all.)_

"- -What's going on?" Exiting out of the dinning room, Rose appeared next to the blonde boy; her eyes narrowed at her father ranting about something.

Feeling a jitter of electrical currents racing the surface of his skin at her proximity, Scorpius tried to cover them up by shrugging indifferently. "He wants to know the gender of your future sibling."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Wait and see until he finds out, it's going to be hysterical." She told him, both of them enlacing their fingers and heading away from the living room.

And just as they were making their way out the backdoor, Scorpius smacked the back of brunette's head; making her waves sway around from the action.

"Oi, mate, seriously?"

Malfoy chuckled as he continued to walk with his girlfriend. "Sorry, there was a fly on the beast."

Glaring with hatred, the brunette's hand sprinted towards the wand tucked through the cloth of her dress.

"Ana - Ana, _no_." But being quick on his reflexes, Al Potter yanked the wand away from the girl. "No magic, remember?"

Ariana puffed out angry air through her pursed lips, glaring with all her might at her brother a few yards away. "I can't wait to go back to Hogwarts; my revenge will be beautiful, Potter, mark my words."

Al laughed a little hesitantly, knowing that the girl was not attempting to be funny and that a war would break out once they returned for their Fourth Year at Hogwarts. "Can't you take it easy on him? He does have a girlfriend now, maybe he'll ease up."

"Maybe I can just blow his brains out," Ariana returned, "then Ron will be forever thankful that I wouldn't get arrested."

Shaking his head at the fury Ariana had, Al sighed a little as he grabbed her hand. "What am I going to go with you?"

"- -Hand her over to me." Appearing next to them, out of nowhere, James smirked grandly at his brother and his ex-girlfriend. "It won't be a big shock or anything, you know, since I've snogged her and all."

The brunette witch rolled her eyes and the boy next to her glared, his green-eyes popping out in anger.

Well, it's true, isn't it?" James continued, fixing the sleeves of his robes casually. "And, at a point, little Al, Ana was very happy with me. So much that a point she frenched me." His brown-eyes now glittered with that leer. "You don't know what that is, do you? Well, one time when Ana and I were kissing she - -"

Smack.

"Oi!" Looking bewildered from the sudden hit he got beside the head, James and the two other kids found Ginny Potter standing with her arms crossed as she frowned at her oldest son. "Are you mental, woman? That's abuse!"

"Go to the yard, James - now." Mrs. Potter snapped, pointing a finger towards the backdoor of the house. "Come on, come on, move on."

"I wasn't doing anything!" James protested as his mother kept pushing him away.

Sighing to herself, because she could feel Al shaking with fury in his stance, Ariana pulled her hand away from his so she could cross her arms. "…I've only kissed him twice, and that was it. There was no…nothing."

Al still glared, not really at her, not really at James at that point, but because he had been a stupid boy all that year. (How could he have let himself lose her for a bit? And to his brother for that matter?)

At the silence that the boy was still in, Ariana felt a little pang of guilt and of panic. She never meant to hurt him, she was just lost and confused. And he knew better than anyone how rubbish she was with the emotions-thing, she didn't now where she was half of the time. "…Al?" But then she decided to take a leap, because she never wanted him to feel like she was a monster.

"…Yeah?" The boy mumbled, not really looking at her.

"I," she took a breath, "I…I love…I…"

And like the last two minutes with his brother didn't happen, Al looked up at his girlfriend with a glowing smile; a small flush on his cheeks. "I love you too, Ana." He said brightly, reaching for her hand again.

"You didn't let me finish." Ariana Malfoy protested, frowning as she let him take her hand. "I was almost there."

With nothing said, because that attempt was worth it, Al just kissed the back of her palm and led her towards the backdoor.

**X**

She could hear the voices, the soft murmur of whispers, and even the light and gentle sounds of a harp coming from the level below. She could hear it as she stood at the top of the staircase, breathing in and out, her body at peace but her heart thumping like she had just ran a marathon.

This was it - once again.

"Alright," and from the bottom of that staircase, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley stood, looking up, "ready?"

She nodded her head, taking the first step with a deep breath.

It was funny, so ironic how things tend to repeat themselves, challenges and lessons the same way. And it's because of that ironic humor, because if they had learned that lesson already why did they question it, why did they not believe in it, why did they have no faith that that's how things were meant to be, that led the Golden Trio back in the spot that started it all.

Peeking his head out the backdoor, Ron turned to Harry and the other with a smile. "Let's do this."

Rolling his eyes behind his glasses, Harry enlaced his arm through his friend's, waiting for his brother-in-law to hurry and take the other. And once he did, the three were chained, a symbol of how they have been kept together for so long, the three smiled at each other; taking a breath together as they headed towards the backdoor.

In the backyard of the Malfoy home, two sections of chairs, separated by a cement pathway that had been made and placed there for the day, held a handful of people; many familiar faces, all of friends and family. Everyone was dressed in their best, smiling with wide smiles and teary eyes, for some women - and Blaise - as they all turned to see Harry and Ron walking slowly towards the front where a majestic tree sat; Hermione Malfoy in the middle of them with a glorious white dress on her body.

And up in front, waiting with a sense of repetition, but with some twists of course, was Ginny Potter, still a fiery redhead, Luna Thomas, eccentric and dreamy as always, and Pansy Weasley with her pregnant belly highlighted by her peachy-orange bridesmaid dress.

On the other side of the women stood Blaise Zabini; handsome as ever with his fine suit and bright green eyes. And like it was accustomed, he stood there as best man, eyes filled with tears and knees shaking. Next to him, not a wobbling child like he was the first time around, Teddy Lupin rolled his eyes, elbowing him in the ribs for the scene he was making.

And in the middle of this familiar scene, Draco Malfoy stood solemn and firm, looking magnificent in his attire as he waited for Potter and Weasley to bring to him what was already his; what he loved much more than his own life.

Arriving, after what seemed like forever, to the arch and canopy serving as an alter, Harry and Ron both detached themselves from their best friend, both giving her a small kiss on opposite sides of her cheeks; then headed towards the groom's side to stand next to Zabini and Teddy.

"Dearly beloved," and it began as Hermione and Draco smiled at each other, gazing into their eyes before turning to the man awaiting to start the ceremony, "we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; once again. To relive and reestablish their vows to their marriage, to their love, and to God as they intake their promises to one another once more."

Hermione smiled, squeezing Draco's hand as the muggle Priest continued on. She couldn't believe that here they were again, renewing their vows, their bond, but this time in the eyes of God; the _muggle _way. Honoring that part of Hermione that had kept her from Draco, that had been Draco's hatred and disgust years before, and that now was a very true part to the marriage they had for fifteen years; a legacy of muggle-blood that now ran in the veins of their kids. Half-bloods, all three of them.

"I, Draco Malfoy," ripped away from her little smug thought, Hermione was now looking deep into her husband's silver-eyes as he spoke," retake you, Hermione, to continue living by my side, to continue loving you like I have for the past sixteen years, to continue rebuilding the family we have already created, to continue growing old with one another, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."

Giggling once, though she was trying to hold it, Hermione smiled a teary smile at her husband, at the fact that he had taken the vows said by a muggle man to his muggle wife; pride and love in his voice as he said them. "I love you, Draco Malfoy," she took her spin on things, "and I am happy and forever blessed that we are here again, standing before our friends and family, showing that we are stronger than what they gave us credit for. That our love _is _strong, that we were meant to be, and that not even death nor disaster could ever take that away." A tear slipped from her. "We have three beautiful children, a life I couldn't have dreamed up, and I am happy because I have it all with you."

And as Draco stared lovingly at his wife, Blaise broke out into tears in the background; supporting himself up by Ron's shoulders as he cried into him. "…._So beautiful_!"

"By the exchange of vows," the muggle Priest spoke again, "you have proclaimed and affirmed your intentions to enter into a sacred union, once more. In recognition of the above, and, as a Priest of the Church and in accordance with the laws and statutes of Great Britain,

I now renounce you Husband and Wife, and your bond strengthen once more in the eyes of God."

And without allowing the priest to say, "You may kiss your Bride," Draco went forward and hurriedly pressed his lips to his wife's, savoring the moment like it was the first time or that kiss could last forever. He held her to him, like he has done plenty of times before, but his heart still banged and beat the way it always had when he first acknowledged that he was in love with her. A sensation that he knows he will continue to feel until the day he departs the world; because this was where heaven was. With her, with his wife, with Hermione.

A loud round of claps began, more children than there was in the first wedding, aside from Teddy and Victorie who were now adults, cheered and hooted; smiled and laughed.

"…Embarrassing." Ariana and Scorpius mumbled at the same time, putting their heads down and hiding their matching silver eyes from the guest and the muggle priest who stared wide-eyed at the commotion exploding.

Through that loud commotion of laughter and cheers, of love and happiness, Demi Malfoy turned her head and attention away from her parents kissing in the middle of the canopy as she sat in her Grandmother Narcissa's lap. She saw something, something there in almost a fusion of thick fog at the edge of the bushes that separated her home from the muggle-neighbors.

There was a huddle of people, ones she recognized from a dream, from a place she had visited for a long time.

'_How do you like that_,' a redhead spoke, standing with an arm draped over a pink-haired woman's shoulder, '_Malfoy and Hermione, remarried under _muggle-law_. That's inspiring, mates, someone should write a book about it._'

'_You're ruining the moment, Fred_.' Tonks gave the redhead a shove with her elbow, scoffing as she moved towards the side of two men who stood together; watching the re-wedding. _'…Look at our Teddy, Remus_,' she spoke in a sweet whisper, her eyes focused on the blue-haired bloke in the other dimension; talking animatedly with Victorie who was hugging him. _'He's beautiful_.'

'_He looks like you, Moony,_' with a chuckle, Sirius Black looked at his best friend who remained solemn, _'though, he gets his attitude from my lovely cousin, I see.'_

Tonks rolled her purple-colored eyes. _'I'll take that as a compliment._' She said, her eyes moving from her son as she spotted Andromeda, her mother, chatting away with Molly Weasley in a row of seats.

"- -Oh, no." Spotting Ariana reach for her wand, the Priest raising his eyebrow as the girl pointed it towards her brother, Narcissa Malfoy placed Demi on the ground. "Wait here, darling." And she got up with her parental expression on, heading towards her eldest grandchildren.

Not phased by the woman's action, Demi wobbled her way towards the bushes, smiling as she waved a palm at the unexpected guest.

'_Oi, looking snazzy with your dress, Dem_,' Fred spoke as soon as he spotted the little girl, '_though I think you should roll around in mud to make it better. I'm sure your mother will _adore _it.'_

Demi rolled her brown eyes and stopped in front of a blonde man standing aside from the group, looking firm and standing tall in his foggy-presence. "Granddad." She stretched her smile.

Uncrossing his arms as he looked away from the scene yards away where Hermione and Narcissa tried to calm Ariana, Draco scolded Scorpius for aggravating her, and Potter tried hurrying the Priest out the yard, Lucius Malfoy blinked his silver-eyes down at his granddaughter. _'…Dem Dem.' _He smiled too.

But before Demi could open her mouth and say something else to her grandfather, or even to the people that she knew but everyone told her they were gone, a pair of arms picked Demi from the ground. "- -She's bloody insane." Teddy Lupin hissed to the little girl in a mumble as he managed to get away from Victorie. "I knew Draco and Hermione shouldn't have invited her to this damn thing. Now she's going to be expecting a ring, and I'm too young for that!"

Turning away from the bushes where the people stood in their white and airy essence, over Teddy's shoulder, Demi waved at the presence of Tonks, Remus, Fred, Sirius, and Lucius. But it wasn't a wave goodbye, because she knew, even at such a young age, that they will always be there, following and visiting their loved ones, always going to be around her, even though no one could see them.

Well, no one but her.

But that was okay. They got to see that the people they left behind were happy, were living, and were making the best of the life they were ripped away from someway and somehow. And that even though times got hard, they all stood together; mighty and tall like a family should.

And in the end, no matter how tough the day was, in the night it was always a simple kind of life.

Just as the others were beginning to disappear, Fred turned to Tonks, who stayed an extra second to stare at Teddy, and said, 'Oi, does Ron look fat to you?'

And the rest was left to the living.

* * *

** AN: Heeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!**

**Well, I know what you must be thinking : Where the HELL did this chapter come from? **

**And In honesty, I dont even know! I was cleaning out my folders and I found this and I was like 'WTF', and yeah. Apparently I wrote it and never uploaded it. My baddddddddd.**

**But, yes, yes. I hope you guys liked it. **

**And, also, I'm thinking of doing a threequal, or like a spin-off of this. Because, wouldn't it be interesting? 0_o**


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